Padres acquire of Seth Smith from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Luke Gregerson
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today announced they have acquired outfielder Seth Smith from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitcher Luke Gregerson. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcement.
Smith, 31, hit .253 (93-for-368) with 27 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBI and 49 runs scored in 117 games for the Athletics in 2013. The left-handed hitter started 97 games this past season, including 46 as the designated hitter, 43 in left field and eight in right field. Originally signed as a second-round selection by the Colorado Rockies in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Mississippi, Smith has hit .265 (539-for-2036) with 128 doubles, 21 triples, 73 home runs, 273 RBI, 304 runs scored, a .342 on-base percentage and .456 slugging percentage over 729 games played for the Rockies (2007-11) and Athletics (2012-13).
Gregerson, 29, went 6-8 with four saves in nine opportunities, a 2.71 ERA (20 ER, 66.1 IP) and 64 strikeouts against 18 walks over 73 relief appearances this past season. The right-hander was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as a 28th-round selection in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft and acquired by the Padres in March 2009 to complete a three-player trade in December 2008 in exchange for infielder Khalil Greene. Over five Major League seasons, all with the Padres (2009-13), he has gone 17-22 with 16 saves, a 2.88 ERA (111 ER, 347.0 IP) and 352 strikeouts against 107 walks in 363 relief appearances.