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The Red Sox have acquired closer Craig Kimbrel from the Padres in exchange for outfielder Manuel Margot, shortstop Javier Guerra, infielder Carlos Asuaje and left-hander Logan Allen, as reported by FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal and many others.
Boston was known to be looking for back-end bullpen help at the outset of this offseason, and was considered a serious contender to acquire Aroldis Chapman from the Reds. Today's move represents the first significant trade in the tenure of new club president Dave Dombrowski, who was known for aggressive trading during his time as the general manager of the Tigers.
Kimbrel, 27, is on the move for the second time in less than a year after being acquired by the Padres from the Braves last April. He has been one of the most consistent closers in baseball for the last few years, being named to four consecutive All-Star teams from 2011 to 2014 while posting a career 1.63 ERA and saving 225 games.
Kimbrel is under team control through the end of the 2018 season, and will be paid $11 million in 2016 and $13 million in 2017 before a $13 million club option comes into effect for 2018. His arrival in Boston will likely push Koji Uehara to the setup role in a revamped Red Sox bullpen.
Margot, 21, is the prize of the deal for the Padres and is currently ranked by MLB.com as the 3rd-best prospect in Boston's system. The outfielder posted a .271/.326/.419 line in 110 games split between High-A Carolina and Double-A Portland last season and is lauded for his athletic ability as a five-tool player.
Guerra, a 20-year old shortstop, is ranked as the sixth-best prospect in a deep Red Sox' system by MLB.com and is considered the 76th-best prospect in all of baseball. He hit .279/.329/.449 with 15 homers for Single-A Greenville last season and is regarded for his excellent offensive abilities, including power.
Asuaje, 24, is a bit of a late-bloomer who was Boston's 11th-round pick in the 2013 draft and hit .251/.334/.374 with 8 home runs for Double-A Portland last year. He is ranked by MLB.com as the 23rd-best prospect in the team's system.
Allen, 18, was Boston's 8th-round pick in last year's draft and is considered to be Boston's 25th-best prospect by MLB.com. The left-hander posted a 0.90 ERA in seven starts for Low-A Lowell last season and is known for his strong fastball and slider.