Busy Padres do 4-player swap with Brewers, reach deal with Drew Pomeranz

The Milwaukee Brewersacquired infielder Luis Urias and left-hander Eric Lauer from the San Diego Padres for outfielder Trent Grisham and right-hander Zach Davies in a swap of high-end prospects and veteran pitchers.

This wasn't the only move for the Padres on Wednesday.

They also reached agreement on a four-year, $34 million deal with left-handed reliever Drew Pomeranz, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Urias, 22, was a consensus top-25 prospect entering the 2019 season and was outstanding at Triple-A El Paso, batting .315 with 19 home runs in 73 games. But he struggled offensively in 71 games with the Padres, batting just .223.

He primarily played second base for the Padres, who boast stars at third base and shortstop with Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., respectively. But the Brewers are expected to play Urias at shortstop, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"It was more of a trade in an area of need for both clubs,'' Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. "To get good players you have to move good players.''

Lauer, 24, was 14-17 with a 4.40 ERA in 53 games -- 52 starts -- over two seasons with San Diego. He went 8-10 with a 4.45 ERA last season.

Grisham, 23, also was widely rated as a top-50 prospect entering the 2019 season and was one of the Brewers organization's best minor league hitters, batting .300 with 26 homers and 71 RBIs in 97 combined games at Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A San Antonio.

He appeared in 51 games with the Brewers, batting .231 with six homers, and emerged as an every-day player in September after star outfielder Christian Yelich suffered a season-ending injury.

Davies, 26, went 10-7 with a career-best 3.55 ERA in 31 starts last season. He had spent his entire five-year career with the Brewers, going 43-42 with a 3.91 ERA in 111 starts.

Pomeranz, 31, was 2-10 with a 4.85 ERA in 46 games for the Giants and Brewers last season.

He was used primarily as a reliever with Milwaukee and was outstanding in the role, posting a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 26 innings.

"We're banking that he's found a role that really fits for him and it was a chance to get an impact performer," Preller said. "He shortened up his repertoire to his fastball and curveball and both pitches became really effective pitches for him. He always had a good heater and out of pen his heater jumped up a tick or two. It became an extremely effective pitch. He always had a good curveball, and played it up."

Preller said Pomeranz pitching ahead of closer Kirby Yates is "going to be a tough combo at the back end of the game. ... It's hard to find lefties in general and lefties that have real out pitches, who can also fill a variety of different roles.''

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.