Jonathan Lucroy #20 of the Milwaukee Brewers gestures to the crowd while batting in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park on July 31, 2016 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Lucroy was drafted by Milwaukee in 2007 in the 3rd round. Lucroy has blocked his pro.
Brewers two-time All-Star catcher, Jonathan Lucroy is now headed to the Lone Star state – traded to the AL-West leading Texas Rangers.
On his Twitter account after Monday’s deal to the Rangers, Lucroy wrote, “let’s take this bad boy to the ‘ship!”
In another tweet, Lucroy thanked Brewers fans and said they would always have a special place in his heart.
The 30-year-old catcher is hitting.299 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI through 95 games in 2016, earning his second All-Star nomination.
According to numerous reports, aside from rejecting Lucroy’s request of making him a free agent in year 2017, the Indians also couldn’t give him the guarantee to be their starting catcher next season. He went 4-6 with 3.48 ERA in 16 games (14 starts) between Class-A High Desert (7g, 6gs, 3-2, 2.60era) and Double-A Frisco (9g, 8gs, 1-4, 4.08era).
The New York Yankees set the market for relief pitching last week when they acquired four prospects, including infielder Gleyber Torres and right-hander Adam Warren, from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Aroldis Chapman.
San Francisco’s first-round pick past year (18th overall), Bickford has appeared in 17 games this season for San Francisco’s two Class A affiliates, combining for a 5-6 record and 2.71 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 27 walks in 93 innings of work. Texas is sending two of its top three prospects – outfielder Lewis Brinson and pitcher Luis Ortiz – to the Brewers, as well as a player to be named later. Jeffress will either close or setup for current closer Sam Dyson.
Brinson was the Rangers’ first round draft pick out of Coral Springs High School in 2012, ranks 30 on Baseball America’s Midseason Top 100 prospect list and 21 overall on the MLB Pipeline Prospects list, as well as fifth in Top 10 Outfielders.
Bickford this season went a combined 5-6 with a 2.71 ERA in 17 starts between Class-A Augusta (11gs, 3-4, 2.70era) and Class-A San Jose (6gs, 2-2, 2.73era).
The Brewers confirmed the transaction early Monday evening.
This year with Double-A Frisco, Brinson was batting.237 in 77 games.
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Milwaukee was 15 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central before Monday night’s game at San Diego. Holaday, recalled an injury rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Round Rock, started 25 games behind the plate for Texas.
