Royals trade Fermin to Padres for 2 pitchers

The Kansas City Royals traded catcher Freddy Fermin to the San Diego Padres in exchange for right-handed pitchers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek, the teams announced Thursday.

Fermin adds additional catching depth for the Padres, who have received the second-worst production from backstops in the majors this season. Elias Díaz and Martín Maldonado have split time behind the plate for San Diego in 2025.

Fermin has backed up Salvador Perez in Kansas City for the last few years. He's a lifetime .268/.314/.383 hitter with 18 homers and 80 RBIs over 251 big-league games. Defensively, Fermin has tallied 32 defensive runs saved during his career, and his 1.89 pop time this season sits in the 90th percentile.

The 30-year-old won't enter free agency until after the 2029 season. As a Super Two player, he'll be arbitration-eligible for four seasons instead of the standard three.

Bergert, ranked as the Padres' No. 7 prospect by MLB.com, made his big-league debut this year. The 25-year-old owns a 2.78 ERA, 4.24 FIP, and 1.18 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 18 walks over 11 appearances (seven starts) with San Diego.

Kolek has spent this season shuttling between San Diego and Triple-A El Paso. In 14 starts for the Padres this campaign, the 28-year-old owns a 4.18 ERA, 4.23 FIP, and 1.30 WHIP with 56 strikeouts, 26 walks, and one shutout.

Kolek won't become arbitration-eligible until after next season.

The Royals have needed additional starting pitching after losing Kris Bubic for the season last week. They're also still missing ace Cole Ragans, who's on the injured list with a shoulder issue.