Padres acquire Pomeranz, prospect from A's

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres acquired a versatile left-handed pitcher on Wednesday, picking up Drew Pomeranz from the A's as part of a four-player deal.

The Padres sent first baseman Yonder Alonso and left-handed relief pitcher Marc Rzepczynski to Oakland for Pomeranz and Minor League lefty Jose Torres.

The Padres will also receive cash considerations or a player to be named.

Pomeranz was 5-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 53 games last season, including nine starts. He was 2-3 with a 4.63 ERA in those nine starts where he limited opponents to a .244 batting average.

The southpaw had clavicle resection surgery in late October, but he is expected to be ready to pitch by Spring Training in February.

Pomeranz would fit a need in the rotation as the Padres were seeking to add a left-hander to break up right-handers James Shields, Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross.

Or he could pitch out of the bullpen, where he had most of his success with the A's.

For his career, Pomeranz is 14-24 with a 4.07 ERA in 107 games with the Rockies (2011-13) and A's. He has a 4.60 ERA in 49 career starts.

Pomeranz was the Indians' first-round Draft pick in 2010 (fifth overall) out of the University of Mississippi. He was later traded to the Rockies in August 2011 in the Ubaldo Jimenez deal. He was then sent to the A's in December 2013 as part of the Brett Anderson deal.

Video: Mayo on acquiring prospect Torres in trade with A's

Torres, 22, was regarded as the A's 23rd-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and slots into the Padres' Top 30 list at No. 22. He had a 2.56 ERA in two Minor League stops in 47 games as a reliever in 2015, most coming in the Class A Midwest League.

Torres was signed by the A's out of Venezuela in 2010 and was recently added to their 40-man roster. Torres, who had a 9.8 strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio in '15, has a big arm and a good breaking ball. While he was strictly a reliever last season, he could eventually start.

Video: Top Prospects: Jose Torres, LHP, Padres

Alonso hit .271/.339/.386 in four seasons with the Padres, however he was often derailed by injuries in San Diego. He's appeared in more than 103 games just once since he was traded to the Padres in December 2011 from the Reds as part of the Mat Latos deal.

Alonso has been on the disabled list five times since 2013.

Rzepczynski, acquired from the Indians on July 31, went 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in 27 games and 14 2/3 innings. Opponents hit .309 against him, and overall lefties hit .255 against during his time with the Indians and the Padres.

Alonso and Rzepczynski were non-tender candidates for the Padres, who had until 8:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players.

Fantasy spin | Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB)
With a lifetime .757 OPS against right-handers (.653 vs. lefties), Alonso is likely destined to work the heavy side of a first-base platoon with the A's next season. Having yet to post a 10-homer season since making big league debut in 2010, the native Cuban should see his '16 fantasy value restricted to AL-only leagues.

Further down the West Coast, Pomeranz could become relevant in deep mixed leagues if he can win a spot in an unsettled Padres rotation during Spring Training. Across two seasons with the A's, the left-hander posted a 3.08 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and an 8.5 K/9 rate while making 19 starts and 54 relief appearances.