Ozuna a Cardinal
Miami completed its trade Thursday that sent left fielder
Marcell Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals, the third allstar jettisoned by the Marlins this month in a payroll purge under new CEO Derek Jeter.
Four prospects are headed to the Marlins in return. Miami traded 2B Dee
Gordon to Seattle last Thursday and right fielder
Giancarlo Stanton, the reigning NL MVP, to the New York Yankees on Monday.
“This is the direction we are taking, and we’re committed to it, and we’re going to build this thing the right way from the ground up,” Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill said.
An all-star the past two seasons, the 27-year-old Ozuna set career bests this season with a .312 average, 37 homers and 124 RBIs.
GOSE GOES TO ASTROS
The Houston Astros have added former big league outfielder Anthony Gose, hoping he can develop as a All-star outfielder Marcell Ozuna is the third big-ticket Miami Marlin to be traded away in the past week. left-handed pitcher. The Astros took Gose from the Texas minor league system in the Rule 5 draft.
Now 27, Gose began pitching last season in the minors for Detroit. He was 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA in class-A this season.
Gose hit .240 in five seasons with Toronto and Detroit. Texas signed him to a minor-league contract two weeks ago, offering him a chance to pitch and play the outfield.
BRIEFLY
The Cards traded OF
Stephen Piscotty to the A’s so he could be closer to is ailing mother ... Closer
Fernando Rodney and the Twins have agreed to a $4.5million, one-year contract. The righty had 39 saves this year for Arizona . ... RP Steve
Cishek and the Cubs have agreed to a two-year contract. Cishek has 121 saves over eight seasons ... RP Jonny
Venters has been invited to spring training by Tampa Bay while trying to come back from his third Tommy John surgery. The 32-year-old lefty hasn’t pitched in the majors since the 2012 NL wild-card game for Atlanta.