SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres agreed to acquire temperamental outfielder Milton Bradley from the Oakland Athletics on Thursday night, the second time in just more than a week that the team decided to add a player with a history of blowups.

The Padres will send Oakland a minor league pitcher, several people with knowledge of the deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity because it had yet to be announced.

Bradley could join the team during a weekend series at the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of his former teams.

General manager Kevin Towers confirmed in an e-mail Thursday that the Padres had interest in the outfielder, but declined further comment.

Manager Bud Black said he hadn't spoken with Towers on Thursday, an off day for the team, and couldn't confirm the deal. But Black said he knew the Padres had discussed Bradley the day before, and added that it was more than likely that Bradley would play left field.

Earlier Thursday, right fielder Brian Giles came off a five-week stay on the disabled list in time for the series opener Friday at Dodger Stadium. The two-time defending NL West champion Padres have the slimmest lead possible in a tight race in the division, one percentage point ahead of Los Angeles and one-half game ahead of Arizona.

If healthy, Bradley could be an upgrade over the tandem of Terrmel Sledge and Russell Branyan in left.

Oakland designated Bradley for assignment a week earlier, cutting ties with a player who was expected to play an important role on the team this season.

The day before the A's designated Bradley for assignment, the Padres obtained embattled catcher Michael Barrett from the Chicago Cubs.