Marlins get Francoeur from Braves in 3-team trade
MIAMI » The Miami Marlins acquired Jeff Francoeur from the Atlanta Braves in a three-team trade Wednesday night, hoping the well-traveled outfielder can provide a boost toward a playoff spot.
Francoeur was the only major leaguer included in the deal that also involved Texas. Any big league player traded after Aug. 1 had to be first put on waivers.
As part of the trade, the Braves will send Marlins $104,959 to help offset Francoeur’s contract.
Atlanta got minor league shortstop Dylan Moore from Texas and catcher Matt Foley from Miami. The Rangers obtained two international signing slots from Miami and one from Texas.
Miami is contending for an NL wild-card spot and isn’t sure whether star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton will return this season from a severe groin strain.
“Once the injury to ‘G’ happened, we felt we wanted to get a right-handed outfielder who would give us some offensive punch against lefthanded pitching,” president of baseball operations Michael Hill said.
“As well as this team has played for 4½ months, we want to do everything in our power to get us where we want to go, and that’s October baseball.”
Miami hasn’t been to postseason since 2003.
Francoeur hit .249 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs in 99 games for the Braves. the
Cespedes to honor deal with Mets
ST. LOUIS » Yoenis Cespedes says he has no plans to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract with the Mets.
The outfielder from Cuba is in the first year of a threeyear, $75 million deal that has an escape clause after the first season. He said through an interpreter before Wednesday’s game that he intended to honor the deal.
“I’ve said it before, my intentions of course are to be here for three years, and if I could spend the rest of my career with the Mets, I would,” Cespedes said.
He said he hasn’t discussed the matter with his agents and added that if anything happened, it would be after the season.
“My mind is on playing,” Cespedes said. “I just haven’t thought about it.”
Entering Wednesday night’s game, Cespedes was batting .295 with 25 homers and 64 RBIs, second on the team in both categories. • The Mets put pitcher Jonathan Niese on the disabled list and say the left-hander will have knee surgery.
The Mets announced Wednesday that Niese will have arthroscopic surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Thursday to repair a torn meniscus.
He got only one out in his start Tuesday at St. Louis before being forced to leave the game.
Right-hander Erik Goeddel was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.