“While it is extremely hard to part with players the caliber of Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress, we are excited to add more young and talented players to the organization as we continue to build toward future winning seasons in Milwaukee”. Lucroy said Sunday, July 31, 2016, he was not going to go into the details behind his decision, but the long term is more important than the short term for him and his family.
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Texas got All-Star left-hander Cole Hamels at the non-waiver deadline last season after the pitcher voided a proposed trade that would have sent him from Philadelphia to Houston.
“We’re kind of in unfamiliar territory with the Yankees”, first baseman Mark Teixeira said. “Had a team that had very clear direction”.
“That was an area we thought we could make some changes”, general manager Jed Hoyer said.
Earlier Monday, the Rangers acquired outfielder Carlos Beltran from the New York Yankees.
Lucroy, a two-time All-Star, is batting.300 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs this season. He has a $4 million salary this year as part of a contract that includes a $5.25 million team option for 2017.
On his verified Twitter account, Lucroy wrote, “Now, moving on to the @Rangers let’s take this bad boy to the ‘ship!”
I’m still processing this and wrapping my brain around this deal.giving up Brinson and Ortiz is painful, particularly Brinson, who I’ve been excited about for a while, and who I was hoping to get to see man center field for the Rangers for a long time to come.
Jeffress, 29, is 2-2 with 27 saves and a 2.22 ERA in 47 games this season, the first year as a closer for the 2006 first-round pick.
Daniels added that Jeffress has an electric arm and is capable of pitching in the 9th inning, although they prefer for Sam Dyson to remain the club’s closer. “But we were able to bring back, we think, some high impact future talent, and so we’re pleased with that”, said Brewers GM David Stearns. He was the Giants’ first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2012 draft.
Ortiz was selected by Texas in the first round (30th overall) of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. 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 Giants aimed to bolster a shaky bullpen by getting Will Smith from Milwaukee, Boston got Fernando Abad from Minnesota and the NL Central-leading Cubs obtained sidearming righty Joe Smith from the Angels.
Texas has an AL-high 62 wins, and is coming off a four-game series sweep of the defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
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To make room on the 40 man roster for Lucroy and Jeffress, the Rangers have designated catcher Bryan Holaday, now on the disabled list, and catcher Bobby Wilson for assignment.
