He’s batting. 300 with a. 844 OPS, hitting 13 home runs and has 50 RBIs. Lucroy’s no-trade clause only applies to eight teams, and the Rangers and Mets aren’t on the list, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. I’m glad the fans acknowledged him.
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That is a thought for the future, however, as for the first time since ensnaring Ubaldo Jimenez from Colorado, the Indians are selling prospects for a better chance at winning today rather than obtaining them for a chance to win tomorrow.
“I’m not going to comment on any specifics, nothing like that, as much as I’d like to”, he said.
“There were some circumstances that came up that made me void it, obviously”, Lucroy said in the dugout two hours before Sunday’s game.
Lucroy will be a free agent after the 2017 season, and has already said he wants to play for a victor while still in the prime of his career. Among one of those prospects would be a potential replacement for Lucroy, a 20-year-old switch-hitting catcher by the name of Francisco Mejia.
Cleveland, which leads the AL Central, has been looking for a catcher since Yan Gomes separated his shoulder earlier in July. Jeff Wilson says the Rangers and Brewers having been talking about Lucroy plus a reliever – Jeremy Jeffress, Tyler Thornburg, and Will Smith are all possibilities there – with Joey Gallo going back to Milwaukee, though he says nothing is imminent.
Though the trade for Miller could shift which the prospects in the Lucroy deal. He’s making $4.35 million this year and will earn $5.25 million next year if the Brewers (or potentially a team that trades for him) exercises the club-option in the final year of his deal.
Current closer Cody Allen has been lights-out of late after struggling to start the season.
If this were a Hollywood film, Lucroy would have smashed a three-run homer off a light tower – or Bernie’s Dugout, at least – a la Robert Redford in “The Natural”.
Allen is the most unknown player involved in the deal, but has 140 steals in 240 minor league games and was batting.
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There appears to be a greater sense of urgency to see the deal through, with the August 1 non-waiver trade deadline approaching quickly and both teams motivated to make something happen.
