Texas completed the deal Monday, a day after Lucroy blocked a preliminary agreement the Brewers had to send him to AL Central-leading Cleveland.
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The Rangers traded away prospects Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz, according to Grant.
Arguably the top prize in this year’s MLB trade season, Jonathan Lucroy has been traded to the Rangers in exchange for prospects Lewis Brinson, a 22-year-old outfield prospect now in AA, and Luis Ortiz, a 20-year-old pitching prospect who has split time between A and AA in the minor leagues.
Since he vetoed the trade, the Mets re-engaged in talks with the Milwaukee Brewers about Lucroy, but according to Jon Heyman, they are now out of the trade talks.
With these additions to the already formidable Rangers lineup, analysts say the team may actually have a shot at the World Series-a first for the franchise. In 95 games with the Brewers this season, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette product has slashed 0.299/0.359/0.482 with 13 home runs and 50 runs batted in, earning his second All-Star nod.
Beltran has been in the league since 1998, making the postseason five times with four different teams. He will immediately become Texas’ starting catcher, replacing Robinson Chirinos.
Lucroy’s acquisition came shortly after the Rangers sent three prospects to the New York Yankees for designated hitter Carlos Beltran.
Brinson is a 6-foot-3 centre fielder who was the 29th overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft. The 28-year-old right-hander is 27 for 28 in saves with a 2.22 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings this season. “A two-way player who makes our pitching staff better”, said general manager Jon Daniels regarding Lucroy. Holaday, recalled an injury rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Round Rock, started 25 games behind the plate for Texas. A later report added that Jeremy Jeffress would also be in the deal, meaning the Brewers have also traded their top two relievers. He was also a first-round pick (#30 overall) in the 2014 draft, taken with the pick the Rangers received when Nelson Cruz declined the Rangers’ qualifying offer and signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency.
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Tate pitched just six games in 2015, sporting an ERA of 1.00 between Spokane and Hickory, but has struggled this year in Hickory, going 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA. The blast gave Polanco homers in consecutive games and three of the last four.The Brewers loaded the bases with nobody out in the third but only managed one run on Martin Maldonado’s double-play grounder.Pittsburgh again made it a one-run game in the fifth. This season, he went a combined 5-6 with a 2.71 ERA in 17 starts between Class-A Augusta and Class-A San Jose.
