• Blog
  • Press
  • About
  • Blog
  • Press
  • About
Cover Those Bases

Cardinals acquire John Lackey from Red Sox for Craig, Kelly

7/31/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired right-hander John Lackey from the Boston Red Sox, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Peter Gammons reports that the Red Sox will be getting first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig and right-hander Joe Kelly from the Cardinals. 

The Red Sox have dealt their top two starters today, as Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes went to the Oakland Athletics this morning for Yoenis Cespedes, and now they have dealt John Lackey to St. Louis. They appear to be winners in both deals, as they have bought Allen Craig and Joe Kelly on the low, while also adding a big-time power bat in Cespedes. 

But if Lackey can take the Cardinals to a World Series championship, it will not matter what they gave up to get him. The 35-year-old Texas native is 11-7 with a 3.60 ERA, 3.56 FIP, and a 116 to 32 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Over his career, Lackey has been a good, reliable starter. He has a 4.02 ERA, 3.88 FIP, and a 1,742 to 641 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his 2202 2/3 innings pitched. He is 18-20 with a 3.07 ERA in 38 regular-season games against National League teams. 

Lackey will be a free agent at the end of this season, barring a vesting option for 2015. His vesting option turned into a club option at the major league minimum salary in 2012, when Lackey missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. The Cardinals could choose not to pick it up, however.

In return, the Red Sox will be getting two players off of the Cardinals 25-man roster in Allen Craig and Joe Kelly. This season, Craig has had a down year, as he is hitting a .237/.291/.346 line with seven home runs and 44 RBI. His 78 OPS+ is well below his career average 120 mark. The Red Sox could be making a very good buy-low move for him. As for Kelly, he is 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA, 3.93 FIP, and a 25 to 10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 35 innings pitched. Reports said that the Cardinals did not value him very highly. 

The Red Sox continue to make moves and shuffle up their roster. The one interesting thing about these moves is that they are for major league players, and not minor league prospects. The Red Sox could have a legitimate shot at turning into a contender once again in 2015, especially if Jon Lester decides to return to Boston. As for the Cardinals, they are trying to make a run once again with pitching, as they have acquired John Lackey and Justin Masterson on back-to-back days. 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Angels
    Astros
    Athletics
    Blue Jays
    Braves
    Brewers
    Cardinals
    Cubs
    Diamondbacks
    Dodgers
    Giants
    Indians
    Mariners
    Marlins
    Mets
    Nationals
    Orioles
    Padres
    Phillies
    Pirates
    Rangers
    Rays
    Reds
    Red Sox
    Rockies
    Royals
    Tigers
    Twins
    White Sox
    Yankees

    Follow @CoverThoseBases
    Picture
    Follow @DevanFink

    Archives

    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Keith Allison, Keith Allison