San Diego, in the thick of the NL West and wild-card races, completed the trades shortly before the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for making deals without waivers.

The Astros sent Ensberg and cash considerations to the Padres for a player to be named or cash. The White Sox traded Mackowiak to San Diego for pitcher Jon Link. The Braves traded Ledezma and minor league pitcher Will Startup for reliever Royce Ring.

"I'm extremely disappointed," Mackowiak said before the White Sox played the Yankees in New York. "It hurts to go from the team you grew up watching and idolized as a kid."

Mackowiak, who has played left field, right field, first base and third base this season, said he expects to be a utilityman with San Diego. He knows a few players on the Padres and "they told me to take all (of my) gloves," he said.

Ensberg, an All-Star in 2005 when he helped the Astros reach the World Series, has not been the same caliber player since tearing a tendon in his right shoulder diving for a foul ball on June 9, 2006.

The 31-year-old Ensberg was hitting .232 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 85 games. Houston is responsible for the remainder of Ensberg's $4.35 million salary this season.

Ensberg hit a career-low .235 with 58 RBIs last year. In 2005, he batted .283 with 36 home runs and 101 RBIs. His 105 career home runs rank second all-time among Astros third basemen.

The 31-year-old Mackowiak hit .278 with six home runs and 36 RBIs in 85 games with the White Sox this season. He is a career .264 hitter with 63 homers and 280 RBIs in seven major league seasons with Pittsburgh and the White Sox.

Link was 2-1 with 13 saves and a 3.07 ERA in 41 relief appearances for Class A Lake Elsinore. The 23-year-old righty is in his third minor league season.

Ledezma started the season with Detroit, then was traded to Atlanta. The 26-year-old lefty was 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA in 12 games for the Braves and designated for assignment Sunday. Startup, a 23-year-old lefty, was in his third season in the minors.

Ring was 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in 15 games for San Diego and 4-0 with a 1.99 ERA for Triple-A Portland this year. The Braves assigned the lefty to Triple-A Richmond.