3-team deal sends Drury to Yanks, Souza to D’backs
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. » The Arizona Diamondbacks have sent infielder Brandon Drury to the New York Yankees and received outfielder Steven Souza Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that includes five players.
The deal was announced Tuesday, one day after former Diamondbacks outfielder J.D. Martinez agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract with Boston, pending a physical.
Drury gives the Yankees a new option at third base and second, where New York was projected to start a pair of rookies.
Arizona pitching prospect Anthony Banda goes to the Rays, who also get minor league second baseman Nick Solak from the Yankees and two players to be named from the Diamondbacks. Minor league right-hander Taylor Widener goes from New York to Arizona.
Drury played mostly second base for Arizona but came through the minors as a third baseman and could fill that spot for the Yankees, who have top prospect Gleyber Torres penciled in at second. Another prospect, Miguel Andujar, was a leading candidate at third.
New York traded All-Star second baseman Starlin Castro to Miami this offseason in the blockbuster deal for slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Chase Headley was sent to San Diego in a cost-cutting swap, and fellow third baseman Todd Frazier signed with the crosstown Mets as a free agent. The 25-year-old Drury also has experience in the corner outfield spots, but the Yankees are well stocked there.
Drury hit .267 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 135 games with Arizona last season. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Yankees designated outfielder Jabari Blash for assignment. Souza, 28, batted .239 with a career-high 30 home runs and 78 RBIs last year. He had a .351 on-base percentage and .810 OPS.
Mattingly says Harper is way off base
JUPITER, FLA. » Marlins manager Don Mattingly says Washington slugger Bryce Harper should not be critiquing Miami’s offseason moves.
Harper said Monday he was shocked the Marlins traded their entire outfield during the offseason. He added that Miami could have become a formidable team by adding a couple of pitchers.
Harper joined a chorus of critics questioning the direction of the Marlins under new CEO Derek Jeter.
Mattingly stressed on Tuesday that it’s important to “take care of your own dugout” and it’s “not really his place to comment on us.”
Mattingly added: “He doesn’t really know what goes on over here. He may think he does. But he doesn’t know what the discussions are. He doesn’t know our players.”
New rules: Change a must for 7th visit
GLENDALE, ARIZ. » Managers or coaches must make a pitching change if they head to the mound for the seventh time in a game under baseball’s new pace of play rules.
Commissioner Rob Manfred and executive Joe Torre explained some of the parameters Tuesday, one day after MLB imposed stricter limits on mound visits in an effort to speed up games.
“I don’t see pace of games issues as harsh or not harsh,” Manfred said during his annual visit to the Cactus League. “I see them as a fan friendly issue.”
Torre noted that umpires will keep players from proceeding to see the pitcher if six mound visits have already occurred.
“From our perspective it’s important to go back to, first, principles. On pace of game, I think the first and most important principle is that pace of game is a fan issue,” Manfred said. “Our research tells us that it’s a fan issue, our broadcast partners tell us that it’s a fan issue, and the independent research that our broadcast partners do confirm with that, that it’s a fan issue.”
Nationals’ Murphy not sure he’ll be ready
WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. » Washington second baseman Daniel Murphy isn’t sure his surgically repaired right knee will be ready in time for opening day.
Murphy underwent an operation to repair cartilage shortly after last season, a procedure than included micro-fracture surgery.
“I’m excited about the progress,” he said. “The work has been good.”
When the knee began bothering him in August, Murphy attributed the issues to normal late-season aches and pains.
That changed during the NL Division Series against the Chicago Cubs when his knee buckled once while he was swinging and another time when he fielded a practice grounder between innings.
Murphy hit .322 with homers and 93 RBIs. 23
Hall of Famer Cepeda hospitalized in Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO » Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda has been hospitalized in the Bay Area.
The San Francisco Giants said Tuesday the 80-year-old Cepeda had been taken to a hospital late Monday. The team had no further details.
Cepeda has been a regular at Giants home games and attended an 80th birthday event for Hall of Famer Willie McCovey last month.