Padres closer Craig Kimbrel acknowledged he was caught off guard on Sunday when he was traded from Atlanta to San Diego before Opening Day, per MLB.com.
"It did catch me a little off-guard," Kimbrel said. "It was shocking that it was a day before Opening Day, and it wasn't something you are expecting.
"You can tell this organization is going after it, it's not a few-years deal, it's right now. As a player, that's exciting," Kimbrel said. "You don't know how long you're going to play this game.
"[Being here] you could tell everyone is excited ... from the front office to the players. That gets me excited. I'm ready to get the ball and get started."
Last year, Kimbrel joined Trevor Hoffman (1998-2001, 2004-07) and Francisco Rodriguez (2005-08) as the only pitchers to secure 40-plus saves in four consecutive seasons. No closer has reached 40-plus saves in five straight seasons.
"What he's done in his career, the last four years, speaks for itself. He's a legitimate ninth-inning guy. A four-time All-Star, a big arm, an impact bullpen guy. ... He makes us better," manager Bud Black said. "When it first came to pass, it jars you a little bit. You feel good about it and you feel good about it for the team. It's a big lift to us in a lot of ways."