Padres trade Victor Caratini to Brewers for two minor league players
Credit: Christian Petersen / Getty Images
After being acquired in the Yu Darvish trade, Victor Caratini spent just one season with the San Diego Padres. The 28-year-old is headed back to the NL Central.
Some news before Opening Day – the San Diego Padres have reportedly traded Victor Caratini to the Milwaukee Brewers. The veteran catcher was acquired as part of the Yu Darvish deal with the Chicago Cubs after the 2020 campaign and spent one season in America’s Finest City. In return, the Padres are getting two minor leaguers, catcher Brett Sullivan and outfielder Korry Howell.
Caratini, 28, was Darvish’s personal catcher in Chicago. With the Padres, he developed great chemistry with Joe Musgrove, catching his no-hitter last August. Caratini posted a .227/.309/.323 slash line with nine doubles, seven home runs, and 39 RBI in 116 games with the club. He had 87 starts behind the plate, registering a .998 fielding percentage while throwing out 18 percent of baserunners.
One of his more memorable moments was the walk-off home run in mid-June to beat the Reds. The game was the first full capacity event at Petco Park.
Victor Caratini has walked off the Reds! What a game pic.twitter.com/lD3fhKXahW
— This Is What’s Trending Now (@TrendingThisIs) June 18, 2021
With a logjam of catchers vying to make the Opening Day roster, Caratini was the odd man out as Jorge Alfaro has reportedly made the team. The 28-year-old had a terrific spring, hitting .417 and a 1.462 OPS while accumulating two doubles, four home runs, and 12 RBI in ten games. The move also creates room for top prospect Luis Campusano to earn a roster spot.
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Sullivan, 28, spent last season with the Tampa Bay Rays Triple-A outfit, posting a .223/.302/.375 slash line with 20 doubles, nine home runs, and 35 RBI in 90 games. Initially drafted in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB draft, the Stockton, CA native signed a major league deal with the Brewers prior to the lockout.
Howell was the 17th-ranked prospect in the Brewers’ system. The 23-year-old was drafted in the 12th round of the 2018 MLB draft. He hit a combined .244 with 16 home runs and 51 RBI, split between Single-A and Double-A in 2021.
Padres writer/editor for East Village Times. LA Kings writer/editor for Hockey Royalty. IBWAA member.
A decent back up catcher. Alfaro made him expendable. This trade was confirmed when Melvin told Darvish he didn’t get a personal catcher. I thought AJ would have gotten more creative and included him with Paddock to increase our return.
I agree with Tom… Profar needs to go. I have no clue what Preller was smoking when he gave Profar that kind of money. I can see Hosmer being traded at the deadline or if someone in contention loses their first baseman to a major injury. I’m hoping AJ doesn’t give up the farm and throw in most of his salary just to get him out of SD.
Needed move, the black holes last year were Hosmer, Caratini and Profar. 1 down.