The Padres announced that they have acquired outfielder Bryce Johnson and cash considerations in exchange for catcher Brett Sullivan. Neither player was on a 40-man roster at the time of the deal and they won’t immediately take roster spots with their new clubs. Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the deal prior to the official announcement.
Sullivan, 31, was outrighted off San Diego’s roster just prior to Opening Day. His big league experience is pretty minimal, with a .206/.243/.299 line in 103 plate appearances. He’s done better in the minors, with a .271/.342/.449 line and 97 wRC+ in 1,594 Triple-A appearances dating back to the start of the 2021 season.
His glovework has been more of a mixed bag. Baseball Prospectus has given him negative grades for his framing in the majors but with better marks in Triple-A. His blocking numbers are a bit middling but his throwing grades are decent.
The Bucs have had seen a number of changes in their catching group recently. They designated Jason Delay for assignment and traded him to Atlanta earlier this month. Shortly after that, both Joey Bart and Endy Rodríguez got hurt. Bart has been dealing with a back issue while Rodríguez suffered a finger laceration and was placed on the injured list. Bart has not yet been placed on the IL but hasn’t played since April 11.
On the active roster, the Bucs are down to just Henry Davis and a banged-up Bart. Abrahan Gutierrez has been with the club on the taxi squad, just in case the club wants him to take Bart’s place. Sullivan will give them another non-roster guy with some big league experience. Perhaps he will join the taxi squad and Gutierrez will head back down to Triple-A, or maybe Sullivan will go to Indianapolis.
The Padres have less need for Sullivan as a depth catcher. They are going with veterans Martín Maldonado and Elias Díaz on the big league roster, while Luis Campusano is on optional assignment at Triple-A. That has allowed them to exchange Sullivan for a bit of cash and another player at a position of greater need.
Johnson, 29, is an outfielder who is known more for his speed and defense than his hitting. He was non-tendered by the Padres at the end of last year and then signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. He has a .177/.248/.226 batting line in 140 big league plate appearances but he has better minor league numbers and some wheels. Dating back to the start of 2021, he has hit .282/.377/.423 on the farm while stealing 100 bases in 116 tries.
The Padres have been scrambling in the outfield a bit lately. Center fielder Jackson Merrill landed on the IL just over a week ago due to a right hamstring strain. Brandon Lockridge took over that spot but suffered a left hamstring strain and followed Merrill to the IL. Lately, they’ve been using utility guy Tyler Wade and veteran Jason Heyward to cover that spot.
The Pirates have an outfield mix consisting of Oneil Cruz, Bryan Reynolds, Jack Suwinski, Andrew McCutchen, Tommy Pham, Alexander Canario and Adam Frazier. Reynolds hasn’t been playing the field lately due to triceps soreness but has been serving as the designated hitter.
In short, both players were more needed by their new clubs than their previous ones, so each will land in a spot where they have a better chance of helping out a big league club.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images.
Wrong Bryce Johnson link
Who did trade for Abe Gutteriz?
MadFriars.com had it first!
This is definitely one of the trades of all time
Groundbreaking
Guessing that means one of Merrill or Lockridge is out for a while.
Bryce Johnson isn’t ML ready, but does boost the minors OF depth and that’s an issue with the guys that have been called up to replace Merrill and Lockridge
Not sure why he wouldn’t be ML ready, but agreed about the depleted AAA with Joe, Wade, and Gonzalez up. I wouldn’t mind him as the Lockridge replacement in the short term. Not much offense but true CF who can stand in from the right side of the plate.
Thought this deal was for 22 year old Bryce Johnson, not the 29 year old. The updated info clarified. Was hoping it was the 22 year old prospect that would have been a steal!
@Brew88
So, the Bryce is not right?
fool me once shame on mlbtr, fool me bryce, shame on me.
Merrill’s gonna be out for more than his IL stay. He’s just supposed to try light jogging for the first time since the injury tomorrow
Anecdotal, but I heard Merrill was jogging already during the Rockies series. I’m not expecting him back until the next homestand at the earliest.
Read Jeff Sander’s piece today. Both were running in pre-game today
Marty Caswell has video of it too.
Just saw! Thanks for the correction.
Merrill won’t be with team on 6 game road trip. They’re being cautious.
That is a good thing. Get him fully healthy and back in the lineup on the next homestand. vs Rays and Giants.
Both were jogging and doing short sprints before the game today.
Sullivan was a player that is unnecessary in SD system while they could use another OFer at that level.
Campy is hiring at AAA, Valenzuela is similar to Sullivan but younger, Salas a year ago. Even have a 1b/C guy doing ok in lower levels.
Swap of 2 guys to fill voids. Nothing wrong with that.
Another money saving move by scrooge Nutting…he should have shipped the MORON in the trade.
As long as ANALytic Shelton is managing, this team isn’t going anywhere.
I don’t like Nutting, but that doesn’t even make sense. The Pirates are the ones sending cash in this deal. Neither Johnson or Sullivan were on any 40-man rosters, so no money is being subtracted or added to the Major League payroll.
Mlb1225 …. Sarcasm buddy, look up the meaning…and I’d love to hear you’re ANALytic view. Now that last statement is sarcasm
Maybe an attempt at sarcasm, but a failed attempt, insults instead of irony. Also, it is “your” to show possession, not “you’re”.
.206 over 100 plate appearances in the majors would make him a cleanup hitter in the Pirates lineup
It’s ok. Somehow he’ll make it to Pittsburgh and struggle to hit the Mendoza Line. It’s a Pirates thing
if he happened to excel as a hitter in the majors, Cherington would trade him for a low level pitcher
It’s against policy to hit well with Pittsburgh
MLB1225, I think his point is that this is a typical Pirate case of dumpster diving for an inexpensive catcher
And since Nutting controls the purse strings, he’s to blame for not wanting to spend money to improve this team
I’m sure he’ll have some analytics that would have us believe this was a great deal. But I’ve grown tired of abject baloney from data people. No thanks.
This franchise is awful. Their MLB team stinks and has numerous guys who play like they don’t care. Their farm system is horrendous, full of guys who’d never get a whiff of the majors in another team’s system.
Their general manager is woefully out of place. Their president is a hockey guy
No amount of analytics changes any of that. You can dress a pig a thousand ways….
Bring Johnson up and release Gurriel. Neither can hit but one can play the field and run.
Hopefully he’s released respectfully after his homecoming in Houston over the weekend.
Brew it’s time. I have and still support the aging vet for bench pieces theory as it allows prospects chance to play every day and the declining (but been there) guy can handle the bench but after a month he is more Nelson Cruz than Peralta / Solano. The process requires multiple looks to increase odds.
Let’s see Iglesias and maybe even call JD Martinez. Play Sheets at DH against both sides a little even.
I still don’t think calling up Eguy for spot ABs is good for him. Maybe Campy since he is hitting at AAA (again).
On another note, Pauley is starting in Miami but not for long. Haven’t seen much of all of those prospects some fans cried so much about trading away except Wood and Abrams (maybe Gote wasn’t a “prospect”) the past few years. Even Abrams has not been fantastic.
Ironically, AJ missed had with Carp, Cruz and Odor only to strike gold with Peralta and Solano.
Martinez is interesting and I hadn’t thought of him. Hit well the last 2 years on a 10M and 12M contract, so I’m guessing he was looking for a raise on that this offseason.. maybe 14M before prorating? The great thing about him is he hits lefties and righties well, but that’d make Sheets somewhat redundant and paying that kind of money just for starts against lefties and late-game ABs seems like a poor allocation of money for in-season additions. An Iglesias and Sheets/Martinez + Heyward/Lockridge bench would be pretty nice, though.
I was wondering today if the Padres would try and move Campusano off C to just focus on the bat. I’m guessing they’re still invested and part of the reason they went with Diaz/Maldonado (besides the defensive benefits) was so Campusano could get everyday reps. Even if some people view him as a bust, he’s only 26 and C development can be lengthy.
Injuries will happen, but right now the team is looking good, and if Matsui and Peralta keep it up, I don’t really see the need for BP additions with Hoeing and Reynolds on their way back. Maybe a fifth starter or a LFer with a higher offensive floor, but I feel this is a recovery year for the farm.
All good points. Could Yu be your 5th starter?
I mean maybe Vásquez has something figured out; Pivetta looks like a steal and Hart has only 1 bad start.
I can see Campy as a DH. All ways great to have 3rd C and Shildt has been subbing out C’s more than the textbook would suggest so far.
I too think JD must be seeking too much $$ or someone would have signed him. Not the best investment at this stage for SD, I’d say in the end. Still have more guys to try first.
Hey LT. Wood is sure looking damn good ( as we feared he would). A guy I didn’t expect to hit but is frankly raking is X Edwards in Miami. Glad we got Jake though.
I’m going to hedge my bets and expect the worst with Darvish.. he’s getting up there. Rehabbing elbow inflammation at this age may just be kicking the can not too far down the road. I hope to see him pitch in the postseason again.
Hart is an excellent story and a great guy who is eating crucial innings early. I don’t trust him once the weather heats up, batters are hitting him extremely hard (currently 10th in in average EV). I have no problem with him in a similar role to Waldron last year, but if Darvish does go down (or any other SP), I don’t think he’s much more than a five-and-dive type. I really do wish him the best and the Padres can continue to ride with him for the near future.
Very happy with Pivetta, awesome signing that stabilizes the rotation now and 2026 (possibly longer). I hope they can sign King with Cease, Suarez, and Hosmer money coming off the books next year. Vasquez, is looking much better than last year, although still firmly 4/5 territory.
X has been up and down since the trade but is up again. He qualifies as being one of the 15-20 prospects traded away but I don’t think many cried over him as a light hitting 2b / SS guy. In part because we had better still on the farm then.
I tend to check on all of the former guys that I watched in Peoria at ST on back fields.
Enjoy the ride while it lasts!
I’ll give Vasquez “maybe 3” status right now. I can live with extending King since we get Musgrove and hopefully have Darvish back. Hosmer money, Cease money and what King already makes – should be $$ available. Suarez can be covered by Morejon, Estrada, Reynolds, Adam, Hoeing and a few on farm coming up.
Brew – and Gabe Arias in Cleveland is finally coming together as well. Forgot about him.
Would it be respectful to just not let him get on the team flight back to SD? Peace, out, beotch?
Or we could just unceremoniously trade him for Drew Campbell
Of all the trades we’ve ever made……this is one of them
the strike out barrage has already begun
Hayes did his looking and Reynolds swung at every pitch thrown even one in the dirt
And Cutch struck out looking
I can’t watch this game anymore
Jeez they suck!
Reynolds struck out three times tonight. Beyond odd how his season has started
Cruz hit a grand slam. I’m sure to some, this means he’s an All Star candidate
Davis homered. Cue the blind squirrel analogy
A Nats pitcher threw at Cutch’s head, or so it seemed. Benches cleared. Lots of hugging
Ever since I started watching Cutch, his head has been a target at times.
Skenes is the only All-Star on this awful team. Maybe another starter if they perform well. I’ve seen enough of the lineup… just pathetic and awful construction
Both Reynolds and Cutch hit homers against Lopez last year so his pitches or throws might have been intentional
The umpires certainly believed as much
Reynolds needs a day off, he’s struck out 6 of in his last 7 plate appearances and seems to be swinging at everything regardless of where the pitch is located
Ahead by 6 runs Shelton used pinch hitters. The night before behind 3 runs he didn’t use any
And having only thrown 84 pitches through 7 innings why didnt Shelton allow Falter to pitch into the 8th inning?
Hr was pitching a gem
Oh c’mon, TheMan3, you know how difficult a game like baseball is. All that standing around in the field and sitting on the bench waiting to bat can really wear you out. I’m sure Uncle Sheltie is just trying to give the boys a break. And that includes Falter. Don’t want to wear him out
What a guy, that Shelton.
Sullivan and Johnson are the typical 4 AAAA players that have enough talent to keep getting looks but their bat holds them back. Both will probably see some MLB time this season as injuries take a toll and the opportunity door opens yet again for both.
Can’t understand why the Pirates didn’t buy back Delay from the Braves. Were the Braves asking more than they paid and that pissed off Nutting?
buying back Delay might have revealed that Ben doesn’t know what he’s doing?
The Pirates are a joke. Why is Suwinski still on the roster? The “team” just looks like they are going through the motions. Cutch can hand out all the necklaces he wants. Maybe give them to the few fans that still show up.The “Manager” should have been gone last year. From Cruz on down the team lacks fundamentals and motivation. There is Skeens who should just demand a trade before his elbow needs TJS.
first, his name is Skenes, second, yes Suwinski doesn’t belong on the major league roster, but, there’s no one in the minors available to contribute to this team and plays outfield
Their player development is one of the worst in baseball
Cutch is a veteran leader, those black and gold necklaces are designed to encourage the players to hit better even though they have a hitting coach who obviously doesn’t help these players
The entire management staff needs to go from the President of Baseball Operations who previously worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey operations, the General Manager and Shelton
Nutting needs to start from scratch and the sooner the better
Sorry I spelled “Skenes” wrong. One of the best ballparks in America (and if one is into “art” the Warhol museum is just a stroll away).
It’s just sad. Catching genies in a bottle (Cole,Cutch,Marte,with an awesome bullpen) on the cheap seems to be Nuttings MO. Oh well, I’ll always have my Maz rookie card. 1957.
good for you ( Maz rookie card)
he was such an underrated player because he didn’t hit for high average but he made up for that with his exceptional fielding.
I have an autographed ball signed by Steve Blass, an autographed jersey of Cutch and one of AJ Burnett.
Both are framed.
But a Maz rookie card?
That’s awesome!
fun or not fact
the Bucs lead the majors in called third strikes
1st and fourth, no one out, Cruz strikes out looks and Reynolds strikes out swinging
Reynolds is 0 for his last 9 plate appearances with 7 strikeouts
I wonder if Hainey continues to pitch this gem if Moron Shelton will pull him in the 9th for a save opportunity?
Padres want more stolen bases…