Five Big Moves as MLB Hits Trade Deadline
Update (4:35 p.m.): With only minutes to go before hitting the trade deadline, the New York Mets pulled off the last big deal of the year. The Mets picked up slugger Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers for pitching prospects Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. Original story is below.
The Major League Baseball trade deadline is today at 4 p.m. And over the last few weeks, teams have been rushing to nab players to help them compete for a playoff spot — or move guys to other teams to free up salary for a rebuild.
With only hours to go before teams can no longer make trades, some big swaps are bound to happen before the clock strikes 4. But some pretty big trades have already been made, with the biggest coming in the last few days.
Here are a few of the high-profile trades that have reshaped teams heading into the stretch.
Cole Hamels
Old Team: Philadelphia Phillies
New Team: Texas Rangers
Left-handed pitcher Cole Hamels was traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the Texas Rangers Wednesday night, just days after throwing a no-hitter against the Cubs. The 31-year-old World Series MVP will be an important asset for the Rangers, who also acquired left-handed reliever Jake Diekman in the deal. The Phillies got lefty Matt Harrison and five prospects. Hamels spent all 10 years of his major league career with the Phillies, and as one of the last remaining members of the 2008 world champion team Hamels will be missed in Philadelphia.
David Price
Old Team: Detroit Tigers
New Team: Toronto Blue Jays
After two seasons with the Detroit Tigers, lefty pitcher David Price was traded yesterday to the Toronto Blue Jays for Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, and Jairo Labourt, three younger left-handed pitchers. Price has a career ERA of 3.13, and has been playing especially well this season, with a 9-4 record so far. In his eight-year major league career, Price has gone 7-0 at Rogers Centre, his new home stadium, so it will be interesting to see if he continues his success there. With a strong new pitcher, the Blue Jays are looking to win the AL East and make a run in the playoffs.
Troy Tulowitzki
Old Team: Colorado Rockies
New Team: Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto also acquired five-time All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. He was traded by the Colorado Rockies Monday after spending 10 years with the club. The news came as a shock to Tulowitzki, who was pulled out of a game in the ninth inning and told he had been traded. While the Blue Jays get Tulowtzki and pitcher LaTroy Hawkins, the Rockies picked up four-time All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes and three pitchers: Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman, and Jesus Tinoco. Tulowitzki has a career batting average of .299 and hit 189 home runs with the Rockies.
Jonathan Papelbon
Old Team: Philadelphia Phillies
New Team: Washington Nationals
The Hamels trade wasn’t the only big move made by the Phillies. On Tuesday, Philadelphia sent right-handed closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Washington Nationals for minor-league pitcher Nick Pivetta. Papelbon joined the Phillies in 2012, following seven seasons with the Boston Red Sox. With a strong ERA of 1.59, 40 strikeouts. and just seven intentional walks, he’s ranked 12th on the all-time saves list with 342 and should be a great addition to Washington’s already strong bullpen. Papelbon was hardly a fan favorite in Philadelphia, and D.C. fans are already not pleased because he will sport the number of long-time National Doug Fister. Watch to see if Papelbon gains any popularity in Washington, or if his time there will be Philadelphia all over again.
Carlos Gomez
Old Team: Milwaukee Brewers
New Team: Houston Astros
As the Houston Astros build for the postseason, they acquired centerfielder Carlos Gomez and pitcher Mike Fiers from the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday for four prospects. (Gomez almost went to the Mets a day earlier, but the deal fell apart before it could be finalized.) Gomez is a two-time All-Star and won the National League Gold Glove Award in 2013. This season, he’s batting .262 with eight home runs. Although Gomez has struggled with hip and hamstring injuries this year, he has only missed one game since June 23. Gomez was a force on the Brewers and will be missed in Milwaukee.
Photos: David Banks/Getty Images (Hamels), Chris O'Meara/AP (Price), Justin Edmonds/Getty Images (Tulowitzki Rockes), Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images (Tulowitzki Blue Jays), Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images (Papelbon Phillies), Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images (Papelbon Nationals), Morry Gash/AP (Gomez)
