Padres trade reliever Torres to Mets for minor-league pitcher

The New York Mets added the left-handed reliever they so desperately sought by acquiring Alex Torres from the San Diego Padres on Monday afternoon, the team announced.

The Mets will send minor-league pitcher Cory Mazzoni and a player to be named later to San Diego in exchange for the 27-year-old, who fashioned a 3.33 ERA over a career-high 70 appearances last season. The Mets were reportedly scouting left-handers from other National League organizations earlier this month, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies.

Torres, who signed with the Los Angeles Angels as an amateur free agent in 2005, will likely take over as a primary left-handed relief option for the Mets, who also added fellow southpaw Jerry Blevins in a separate deal hours later. 

Torres, who become the first player in MLB history last year to wear a protective cap while he pitches, has enjoyed success against both left-handed and right-handed hitters throughout his career and could be used in a setup role behind incumbent closer Jenrry Mejia.

Over parts of three seasons in the majors, Torres owns a 2.55 ERA (143 ERA+) with a 24 percent strikeout rate across 113 appearances while yielding just three home runs in 120 innings. He's under control for the next five seasons and isn't eligible for arbitration until 2017.

Mazzoni, 25, was the Mets' second-round pick in the 2011 draft, and split last year between four levels after missing two months with a side-muscle injury. The right-hander posted a 4.67 ERA and 8.5 K/9 across nine starts at Triple-A.