The Padres have 10 days to trade Bush or release him. They can't send him outright to the minors because they added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from going to another team in the winter meeting draft (Rule 5) in December, general manager Kevin Towers said.

"We knew this was a possibility," Towers said. "Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. Matt ended up being kind of the 40th guy. We just felt he was the right guy to designate rather than 39 other guys that we felt like we valued more on our roster."

Towers said other clubs have expressed interest in Bush during the last year, although he missed all of 2008 while rehabbing following reconstructive elbow surgery. Towers said there's an outside chance that if Bush is released, he could be re-signed to a minor league deal.

"I think there will be a market out there for him in the way of a trade. If not, if he gets released, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Towers said.

The Padres selected Bush with the top pick in 2004 in large part because he came cheaper than others in that draft, notably Stephen Drew, Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander. Then a shortstop at Mission Bay High, Bush agreed to a $3.15 million signing bonus.

Two weeks later, Bush was suspended indefinitely by the Padres after he was arrested at a bar across the street from the team's complex in Peoria, Ariz. Among the charges were underage drinking and that he bit one of the bouncers who tried to escort him out of the bar. Assigned to the Padres' rookie-level Peoria team, Bush was reinstated a month later. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, trespassing and underage possession or consumption of alcohol.

Bush was involved in a bar fight last summer, also in Peoria. On Thursday evening, the Padres released a statement saying they had "learned of a possible off-field incident earlier this week involving pitcher Matt Bush. We are still gathering information about this incident and will have no further comment at this time."

Bush's career never really got going. He had elbow surgery in August 2007, not long after being converted from shortstop to pitcher.

"We tried it with him as an infielder and that certainly didn't work out," Towers said. "Got him on the mound, something that he was kind of a two-way guy in high school, and he pitched less than 10 innings for us in the Midwest League before he ran into elbow problems and had Tommy John surgery."

Towers said Bush has been pitching a little this offseason but that his velocity wasn't all the way back.

Meanwhile, Floyd said he was "pretty stoked" about joining the Padres.

"I love National League-style baseball; I've been doing it my whole career," he said. "I got the chance to play in the American League last year and it was a great opportunity, a great situation, but games are way too long, and getting back to National League style of play is a good fit for me."

Floyd goes from playing in the World Series with Tampa Bay to a team that lost 99 games and finished last in the NL West. Tampa Bay declined a $3 million option on Floyd, instead opting for a $250,000 buyout.

Floyd hit .268 with 11 homers and 39 RBIs last year in 72 starts at designated hitter. The 36-year-old slugger was on the postseason roster until a right shoulder injury sidelined him for the final two games of the World Series loss to Philadelphia.

Floyd said he's healthy after rest and rehab.

"I feel good," he said.

Towers expects Floyd to mostly pinch-hit late in games, much as Tony Clark did last year, and DH in interleague games.

"Great guy," Towers said. "He brings some leadership qualities into our clubhouse, which I think is greatly needed."

Floyd has also played with the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

He was with Florida when it won the World Series in 1997, and has played in the postseason the past three years.