Padres, Royals Make Surprise Trade: Freddy Fermin For Pair Of San Diego Arms

We wondered if the Kansas City Royals would have a surprise trade up their sleeve at this deadline, and now we shall wonder no more.

Normally, trading a "backup" catcher wouldn't be considered major news, but Freddy Fermin has hardly been a backup in Kansas City this year. While franchise icon Salvador Perez still gets many more at-bats, he and Fermin have split duties behind the plate at an almost exactly 50-50 clip.

Now, Fermin is reportedly headed to the San Diego Padres, where he might get better than a 50 percent share of the playing time.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Thursday that the Padres had acquired Fermin from the Royals in exchange for right-handed pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek. Both of those pitchers started games for San Diego this week, so the Royals are getting a major jolt to their rotation.

Elias Díaz and Martin Maldonado have been sharing backstop duties in San Diego, and Fermin projects to be a slight upgrade there. He's posted a .648 OPS and 81 OPS+ this season, which aren't world-beating numbers, but they're better than the .594 OPS Padres catchers have combined for.

Meanwhile, the Royals are getting two controllable arms. Kolek won't be a free agent until after the 2029 season, and Bergert, whose rookie status is still intact, will likely be under control through the end of 2031.

Kolek has posted a 4.18 ERA in 14 starts this season, striking out 56 batters in 79 2/3 innings. Bergert has been more impressive, with a 2.78 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. But the key takeaway is that both can immediately give Kansas City bulk innings, perhaps in the starting rotation, right away.

Meanwhile, the Royals now need another catcher, so one has to wonder if top prospect Carter Jensen is a candidate to be recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make his major league debut.

More MLB: Royals Trade Idea Lands $6 Million Gold Glover From Rival Twins