The New York Mets have acquired right-handed relief pitcher Fernando Salas from the Los Angeles Angels, they announced.
In exchange, the Angels received right-handed pitching prospect Erik Manoah. Salas will add depth to a Mets' relief pitching staff that already ranks among the best in the Majors. Anchored by closer Jeurys Familia, Mets' relief corps have posted a 4.4 fWAR this season, good for fifth in the Majors. Their ERA of 3.68 ranks eleventh. The 31-year-old Salas is 3-6 with a 4.47 ERA and a 45-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 56.1 innings pitched this season. He has a 4.64 FIP and a 4.50 xFIP, as well as a -0.2 fWAR. The Mets, however, are buying stock in the recent version of Salas. Over his last 20 appearances, Salas has a 2.60 ERA and a much improved 18-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 17.1 innings. He has been serving as the Angels' closer recently, and he has saved four games in August alone. Salas was arbitration eligible for the final time last offseason, meaning he will be a free agent at the end of the year. The Mets are adding him for a possible playoff run, where his back-end relief experience should come in good handy. As for the Angels, a move of Salas, who is a rental, makes sense for a non-contending team. In return, they got Manoah, who was the Mets' 13th round pick in the 2014 MLB Draft. This season, in Class-A Short Season Brooklyn, Manoah is 5-5 with a 5.37 ERA and a 63-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 62 innings (13 games; 12 starts). --Devan Fink
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The Boston Red Sox will promote top infield prospect Yoan Moncada to the Major Leagues on Friday, they announced.
Moncada was rated as baseball's No. 1 prospect, per MLB.com. The Cuban second and third baseman signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in March 2015. He earned a record $31.5 million signing bonus at age 20 and was not considered to be Major League ready until 2018 or later. Now 21, Moncada will be skipping Triple-A with the promotion. In 486 plate appearances between Class-A Advanced Salem and Double-A Portland, he has hit for a .298/.411/.518 slash line this season, adding 15 home runs, 61 RBI and 45 stolen bases. A switch-hitter, Moncada is expected to help out at third base with Boston, who currently is platooning Aaron Hill and Travis Shaw there. Neither player in the current platoon has posted great numbers there offensively. Moncada will also help out on the bases for the Red Sox and could add potentially game-changing speed late in ballgames. In fact, MLB.com rates Moncada's best tool as his speed, which is given a 65 on the 20-80 scale. A great all-around player, Moncada already grades out as a 65 overall, which is considered above Major league average. Moncada has drawn comparisons to Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano, though he adds more speed to his game. --Devan Fink
The Baltimore Orioles have agreed in principle to acquire outfielder Michael Bourn from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reports.
In return, the Diamondbacks received minor league outfielder Jason Heinrich. Bourn becomes the second outfielder the Orioles added today, with the first being Drew Stubbs, who came over via a waiver claim. It makes sense that Baltimore wanted to beef up their outfield, considering that they rank 24th in the Major Leagues in fWAR from that position, mostly due to poor defense numbers. Currently, the Orioles have Adam Jones, Hyun Soo Kim, Mark Trumbo and Nolan Reimold as their main outfielders on the 25-man roster. Bourn, though, will be a defensive upgrade that is also a threat to steal bases. This season, the 33-year-old is hitting .261/.307/.362 with three home runs and 30 runs batted in over 358 plate appearances, adding 13 stolen bases. Per FanGraphs, he has been worth -0.1 wins above replacement over his 89 games played. Bourn is finishing off a four-year, $48 million deal that he signed with the Indians prior to the 2013 season. He was then traded to the Braves in 2015, who released him earlier this year. Bourn then signed with the Diamondbacks on a minor league contract midway through this season. He is making the big league minimum from Arizona, and he will continue to do so from Baltimore once the trade is finalized. Regardless, Bourn will be a free agent at the end of the season. Heinrich, 20, has hit .231/.301/.347 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 163 plate appearances at Class-A Short Season Aberdeen. He was the Orioles' 5th round pick in last year's draft. --Devan Fink
The Cleveland Indians have a deal in place to acquire outfielder Coco Crisp from the Oakland Athletics, MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams reports on Tuesday.
In return, the Athletics received left-handed pitcher Colt Hynes, they announced Wednesday. Crisp has full no-trade status because he has played 10 years in Major League Baseball and has played at least five years with his current team. He has provided his consent to a deal, Adams reports. Cleveland has a good collection of outfielders already on the big league squad, with Lonnie Chisenhall, Tyler Naquin, Abraham Almonte, Rajai Davis and Brandon Guyer all serving a considerable amount of time in the starting lineup. Almonte, though, is ineligible for the postseason after serving a PED suspension, likely leading to the need for another outfielder. The team also has utility man Michael Martinez on hand, who may lose his spot when the team officially makes the move for Crisp. The loss of Michael Brantley for the season, though, was unfortunate for Cleveland, as he was a budding star in the outfield the past two seasons. He finished third in the AL MVP voting in 2014. Regardless, the Indians have received great value out of their tandem of outfielders, which Crisp will only add to. Coming into Tuesday, the Indians posted the third-highest team fWAR from their outfielders and the seventh-highest wRC+ among all Major League teams. In this trade, the 36-year-old Crisp will be going back to the team where he spent his first four seasons in the Major Leagues from 2002 to 2005. It's likely his new stay in Cleveland won't last long, however, as Crisp has a $13 million vesting option with a $750,000 buyout for 2017. It vests at 130 games played or 550 plate appearances this season, both of which seem out of reach considering he probably will not get a large role in the crowded outfield. This will make him a free agent at the end of the year. In the meantime, Crisp is closing out a two-year, $22.75 million deal that pays him $11 million this season. The Athletics will be paying all but $500,000 that remains on his deal, FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reports. In 434 plate appearances, Crisp is hitting .234/.299/.399 (89 wRC+) with 11 home runs and 47 RBI in 102 games. According to FanGraphs, Crisp has also been a below-average defender, making him worth a total of -0.5 wins above replacement. Lifetime, Crisp is a .266/.327/.402 hitter over 15 seasons in the big leagues. --Devan Fink
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed outfielder Yasiel Puig on trade waivers today, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
If claimed (which is likely), the Dodgers will get the opportunity to work out a trade with the claiming team. This does not mean Puig will go to this team regardless, as these waivers are revocable, meaning the Dodgers can pull him back. If Puig goes unclaimed, the Dodgers can discuss trades with any team. The 25-year-old Puig is currently at the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City after being demoted in early August. Puig was demoted after the Dodgers acquired Josh Reddick at the trade deadline, leaving him as the odd man out. Los Angeles was unable to find a trade partner for him in July, though there reportedly was some interest. A trade of Puig still remains much more likely in the offseason, when the Dodgers are able to discuss with all 30 teams rather than just the one they will deal with over the next few days. Personality problems have been associated with Puig ever since he was signed out of Cuba to a seven-year, $42 million deal. The phenom immediately produced in Los Angeles over his first two seasons but has seen a steady decline in performance since. In 17 games in Triple-A, Puig is hitting .375/.420/.641 with four home runs and 12 RBI over 69 plate appearances. Puig posted a .706 OPS over 303 plate appearances with the big league club earlier this year. He was worth 0.5 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs. Puig was at his best from 2013 to 2014, when he hit .305/.386/.502 with 35 home runs and 111 runs batted in over 1,072 plate appearances spanning 252 games. He was named to the National League All-Star team in 2014. --Devan Fink |
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