Braves trade Kimbrel, Upton to Padres in blockbuster multi-player deal

The San Diego Padres weren't content to merely steal the headlines this winter with their aggressive offseason overhaul. Hours before the start of the 2015 season, Padres general manager A.J. Preller hijacked the spotlight from the league once again with a stunning blockbuster deal.

San Diego acquired All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Atlanta Braves in a multi-player deal Sunday less than two hours before the Chicago Cubs' Jon Lester was set to throw the first pitch of the season.

The Braves, who confirmed the trade shortly after initial reports broke, receive top pitching prospect Matt Wisler and outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin in the deal. Atlanta's package also includes the 41st pick in this year's draft and minor-league outfielder Jordan Paroubeck.

Related: Braves president on trading Kimbrel: 'He's a special guy, it was a hard thing to do'

Kimbrel, 26, has led the league in saves four straight seasons, while his 11.1 fWAR over that stretch paces all MLB relievers. The four-time All-Star is under contract for $9 million this season and is owed another $24 million through 2017. His contract also includes a $13-million club option with a $1-million buyout.

It's yet another mega move by the first-year GM Preller, who put the baseball world on its side this winter by making several high-profile upgrades to the Padres.

By acquiring Kimbrel, the Padres bolster their already stellar pitching staff with arguably the game's best closer. The trade, however, does come at a costly price: the $43.35 million in future salary owed to Upton, the former No. 2 pick who's been among the worst outfielders in baseball since 2013.

Upton, who's reunited with his brother Justin for the second time in his career, joins a Padres outfield slightly less crowded with the departures of Quentin and Maybin.

Kimbrel's move to Petco Park is particularly scary for opposing hitters after the hard-throwing right-hander authored a tidy 1.61 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in 2014. His 1.43 career ERA is the lowest in major-league history among qualified relievers.

The trade saves the Braves nearly $80 million as the club continues to aggressively shed salary ahead of their move into SunTrust Park for the 2017 season.

Quentin, the oft-injured power-hitting veteran, is owed $8 million this season and carries a mutual $10-million option for 2016.

Maybin, meanwhile, has struggled to hold down an everyday job in recent seasons and found himself on the outside looking in of a revamped Padres outfield. He's under contract for two more seasons for a guaranteed $16 million.

The headliner of the trade from Atlanta's perspective, however, is Wisler, who entered the season as the Padres' No. 1 prospect according to Baseball America. 

Wisler, 22, pitched to mixed results last year between Double and Triple-A, crafting an overall ERA of 4.42 with 136 strikeouts in 146 2/3 innings. The Padres selected the 6-foot-3 right-hander in the seventh round of the 2011 draft.

Paroubeck, 20, was San Diego's second-round pick in 2013 and hit .286/.346/.457 with four homers in 34 games during his first taste of professional baseball in the Arizona Fall League.