Texas parted with their 2015, 2014, and 2012 first-round picks in the span of about an hour on Monday, as they sent Dillon Tate to the New York Yankees as part of the Beltran deal, and Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz to the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Cashman made the moves with management’s go-ahead just ahead of the non-waiver trade deadline.
The Rangers, though, know that the trades for Beltre and Lucroy, which also included reliever Jeremy Jeffress, don’t guarantee them anything, especially not a World Series title.
The Boston Red Sox acquired left-handed reliever Fernando Abad from the Minnesota Twins for minor-league pitcher Pat Light. Jeffress is arbitration-eligible next season and will not hit free agency until 2020 at the earliest, meaning that he comes with three years of team control.
Beltran joins a Texas team that recently lost slugger Prince Fielder, who had been their primary designated hitter, to season-ending neck surgery.
This trade, according to Wallace Matthews of ESPN, is a signal that the New York Yankees are hoisting up a “white flag” for the 2016 season. I also want to add that numerous last few world series champions have had a two-way catcher, in Yadier Molina (Cardinals), Buster Posey (Giants), Salvador Perez (Royals).
“It’s fun, honestly”, Beltran said of joining Texas in a pennant chase.
This is not the first time that Jeffress has been traded in a blockbuster deal – specifically, traded away by the Brewers in a blockbuster deal.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Jonathan Lucroy tips his cap after getting a standing ovation from fans while pinch-hitting during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, July 31, 2016, in Milwaukee. He is hitting.300 on the season with 13 home-runs and is considered to be one of the best catchers in the game. Alberto was batting.175 with four RBIs in 25 games. Also, with Lucroy’s contract containing a team option for $5 million next season, it’s a safe bet he will return to Texas on a team-friendly rate.
On his Twitter account after Monday’s deal to the Rangers, Lucroy wrote, “let’s take this bad boy to the ‘ship!” Switching catchers mid-season might be a little weird for the pitching staff at first, but his bat should tide the Rangers over, and it’s worth pointing out Lucroy’s defensive reputation is stellar. Really excited and cant wait to get after it!. Robinson Chirinos has started 33 games. He likely will be in a setup role for the Rangers behind Sam Dyson. With the Astros losing three straight, the Rangers have pushed their division lead to six games, the biggest gap since the All-Star break after leading by as many as 10 games in late June. As GM of the Tigers, Dombrowski traded Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees for Kyle Farnsworth before the trade deadline in 2008 and also helped orchestrate the three-team deal that sent Curtis Granderson to New York, Austin Jackson to Detroit and Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks prior to the 2010 season. He is hitting.237 with 11 home runs and 40 RBIs in 77 games for Double-A Frisco in the Texas League. The 36-year-old Hill is 9-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts and on the DL because of a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand that hasn’t healed.
Oritz was the 30th overall pick in 2014.
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Nova posted a 7-6 mark with one save and a 4.90 ERA in 21 games with the Yankees this season.
