Cincinnati Reds third baseman Brandon Drury. (Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports)
The Padres kept the spotlight of the MLB trade deadline on San Diego by picking up Cincinnati Reds breakout third baseman Brandon Drury.
A flurry of activity at the MLB trade deadline was always expected. The Padres being at the center of it all was the biggest surprise.
After shaking up the baseball world by acquiring Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Josh Hader, San Diego proved they weren’t content with a trio of additions.
With Brandon Drury, they’ve made it a quartet.
Brandon Drury trade details: Padres far from done after Juan Soto deal
Padres Get
3B Brandon Drury
Reds Get
SS Victor Acosta
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the news that the Reds third baseman was heading west. FanSided’s Robert Murray revealed shortstop Victor Acosta as the prospect in return.
The Padres are already set at third base with Manny Machado, but Drury can still be a dangerous weapon as a DH or in a utility role. He has more than 100 games of big league experience at third base, second base and in the outfield.
His power is the biggest reason to add him to the lineup. He has 20 home runs this year while batting .274/.335/.520. His OPS is .855 and his offensive WAR is 2.6, both career-highs.
Incredibly, the Reds picked Drury up on a minor league contract in March. Even they couldn’t have predicted he would have a breakout season, ultimately being snubbed for an All-Star nod. Now they’ve turned that signing around to grab a highly-rated prospect.
Acosta is the No. 6 prospect in the Padres organization. He was ranked No. 19 in the 2020-21 international class, per MLB.com. The 18-year-old has “five-tool potential.”
The trade made sense for both sides in the end. The Reds flipped a low-risk investment. The Padres added a home run threat who has outpaced the top power hitters on their roster this season.