UPDATE: Padres, Red Sox agree on Adrian Gonzalez trade - MLB

UPDATE: The negotiating window for the Red Sox to complete a deal with Adrian Gonzalez expires at 2 p.m. ET tomorrow, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.

12:36 PM: According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, Adrian Gonzalez has already completed a physical with the Red Sox. McAdam was told that Gonzalez’s surgically-repaired right shoulder “should be just fine,” but that there are “minor tests” that still need to be completed.

12:00 PM: Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com hears that Adrian Gonzalez wants a “Howard-type contract.”

If so, that would actually be a pretty sweet deal for the Red Sox. Howard signed a five-year, $125 million extension with the Phillies in April, which includes a $23 million option for 2017. It’s a bad deal for the Phillies because Howard will be 32 years old before the extension even begins in 2012. It would be quite a coup to lock up Gonzalez at those terms before he turns 30 years old.

11:30 AM: Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that in addition to right-hander Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes, the Padres will also receive a player to be named later from the Red Sox in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez.

One wonders if the PTBNL could be someone from the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, as such players are ineligible to be traded until June of 2011.

11:20 AM: Jon Heyman of SI.com writes that there is still work to be done on a contract extension and that the process may take a day or two. We have seen MLB approve 72-hour windows in the past — the Johan Santana trade, for example — so they have some time to hammer out an agreement.

For what it’s worth, Heyman guesses they will add seven years and roughly $165-170 million to his $5 million option for 2011, which was already exercised by the Padres. If true, it would be a comparable deal to the eight-year, $180 million contract Mark Teixeira signed with the Yankees in December of 2008.

10:17 AM: Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports that the Padres will receive right-hander Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes from the Red Sox in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez.

Baseball America recently ranked Kelly as Boston’s top prospect, while Rizzo was third and Fuentes (who is cousins with Carlos Beltran) was sixth.

10:09 AM: Jon Heyman of SI.com confirms that Gonzalez is in Boston and that negotiations on a contract extension should begin shortly. He also writes that top pitching prospect Casey Kelly is in the deal, which backs up a report by Dan Hayes of the North County Times last night.

According to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, multiple Red Sox prospects rumored to be involved in the deal say they have yet to hear anything from the team.

9:01 AM: Buster Olney of ESPN.com tweets that Gonzalez has arrived in Boston.

8:20 AM: Oh baby. It looks like the Red Sox have gotten their man.

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Adrian Gonzalez is expected in Boston today for a physical, which should be one of the last hurdles before a trade with the Padres becomes official. Major league baseball has also approved a negotiating window for the Red Sox to work out a contract extension with Gonzalez, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Of course, the physical can’t be completely overlooked, as Gonzalez underwent surgery on his right shoulder last month, although he is expected to be ready for the start of the season.

OK, so who’s in this deal, anyway? Well, the Padres are expected to receive “three or four prospects from the Red Sox, including one who is major-league ready.” According to Cafardo, talks have centered around prospect first baseman Anthony Rizzo and prospect right-hander Casey Kelly. Buster Olney of ESPN.com writes that all players have been agreed to.

This one isn’t official yet, but the Red Sox have effectively thrown down the gauntlet just before the winter meetings. Your move, Yankees?

ATLANTA – Given a seven-run lead in the first inning, Atlanta right-hander Spencer Strider could relax and keep adding to his majors-leading strikeout total.

“That game felt like it was over pretty quick,” Strider said.

Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in three runs with four hits, including a two-run single in Atlanta’s seven-run first inning, and the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-4 on Sunday night to split the four-game series.

“Getting a lead first is big, especially when you get that big of a lead,” Strider said. “… When we’re putting up runs, my job isn’t to be perfect. My job is to get outs.”

Following the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker announced right-hander Michael Soroka will be recalled to make his first start since the 2020 season on Monday night at Oakland.

Matt Olson hit a pair of two-run homers for Atlanta, and Strider became the fastest pitcher in modern history to reach 100 strikeouts in a season.

“It’s incredible,” said Acuña through a translator of Strider. “Every time he goes out to pitch it seems like he’s going to strike everybody out.”

Acuña hit a run-scoring triple in the fifth before Olson’s second homer to center. Acuña had two singles in the first when the Braves sent 11 batters to the plate, collected seven hits and opened a 7-0 lead. Led by Acuña and Olson, who had three hits, the Braves set a season high with 20 hits.

Strider (5-2) struck out nine while pitching six innings of two-run ball. The right-hander fired a called third strike past Nick Castellanos for the first out of the fourth, giving him 100 strikeouts in 61 innings and topping Jacob deGrom‘s 61 2/3 innings in 2021 as the fastest to 100 in the modern era.

“It’s cool,” Strider said, adding “hopefully it’ll keep going.”

Olson followed Acuña’s leadoff single with a 464-foot homer to right-center. Austin Riley added another homer before Ozzie Albies and Acuña had two-run singles in the long first inning.

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner and left fielder Kyle Schwarber each committed an error on a grounder by Orlando Arcia, setting up two unearned runs in the inning.

Strider walked Kody Clemens to open the third. Brandon Marsh followed with a two-run homer for the Phillies’ first hit. Schwarber hit a two-run homer off Collin McHugh in the seventh.

LEAPING CATCH

Michael Harris II celebrated the one-year anniversary of his major league debut by robbing Schwarber of a homer with a leaping catch at the center-field wall in the second. As Harris shook his head to say “No!” after coming down with the ball on the warning track, Strider pumped his fist in approval on the mound – after realizing Harris had the ball.

“He put me through an emotional roller coaster for a moment,” Strider said.

SOROKA RETURNING TO ROTATION

Soroka was scratched from his scheduled start at Triple-A Gwinnett on Sunday, setting the stage for his final step in his comeback from two torn Achilles tendons.

“To get back is really a feather in that kid’s cap,” Snitker said.

Soroka will be making his first start in the majors since Aug. 3, 2020, against the New York Mets when he suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. Following a setback which required a follow-up surgery, he suffered another tear of the same Achilles tendon midway through the 2021 season.

Soroka suffered another complication in his comeback when a hamstring injury slowed his progress this spring.

Acuña said he was “super happy, super excited for him, super proud of him” and added “I’m just hoping for continued good health.”

Soroka looked like an emerging ace when he finished 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 2019 and placed second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the NL Cy Young voting.

The Braves are 0-3 in bullpen committee games as they attempt to overcome losing two key starters, Max Fried (strained left forearm) and Kyle Wright (right shoulder inflammation) to the injured list in early May. Each is expected to miss at least two months.

RHP Dereck Rodriguez, who gave up one hit in two scoreless innings, was optioned to Gwinnett after the game to clear a roster spot for Soroka.

QUICK EXIT

Phillies right-hander Dylan Covey (0-1), claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 20, didn’t make it through the first inning. Covey allowed seven runs, five earned, and six hits, including the homers by Olson and Riley.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: 3B Alex Bohm was held out with hamstring tightness. … LHP José Alvarado (left elbow inflammation) threw the bullpen session originally scheduled for Saturday. Manager Rob Thomson said there was no report that Alvarado, who was placed on the injured list on May 10, had any difficulty.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Following an off day, LHP Ranger Suárez (0-1, 9.82 ERA) is scheduled to face Mets RHP Kodai Senga (4-3, 3.94 ERA) in Tuesday night’s opener of a three-game series in New York.

Braves: Soroka was 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA in eight games with Triple-A Gwinnett. He allowed a combined four hits and two runs over 10 2/3 innings in his last two starts. RHP Paul Blackburn (7-6, 4.28 ERA in 2022) is scheduled to make his 2023 debut for Oakland as he returns from a finger injury.