Dozier, Archer among 15 trades on deadline day
Since All-Star Game, everyone but Giants has made a deal.
For Brian Dozier, getting traded meant a dash to the airport and a long trip to Dodger Stadium. For Jake Diekman, it was a lot easier — he simply rode the bullpen cart from one clubhouse to the other at Chase Field.
Chris Archer (Rays to Pirates), Jonathan Schoop (Orioles to Brewers) and a bunch of relievers moved on deadline day, a flurry of 15 swaps Tuesday before time ran out to make deals without waivers. The market kept spinning at a dizzying pace: every team except San Francisco made at least one deal since the All-Star Game; Tampa Bay made seven.
Archer, a two-time AllStar, hugged teammates at Tropicana Field before heading to Pittsburgh. He is 3-5 with a 4.31 ERA in 17 starts this season and joins a club that has pushed back into the playoff race even after trading away Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen in the offseason. Pittsburgh sent the Rays a couple of coveted prospects — OF Austin Meadows and P Tyler Glasnow — and a player to be named.
The Rays sent former AllStar catcher Wilson Ramos to NL East-leading Philadelphia for a player to be named or cash, while Leonys Martin (Tigers to Indians), Kevin Gausman (Orioles to Braves) and Cameron Maybin (Marlins to Mariners) also switched sides as contenders tweaked their rosters. And why not? All but four National League teams began the day within 5½ games of a playoff spot. The American League is more spread out — division leaders Boston, Cleveland and Houston have been busy.
Manny Machado, Cole Hamels, Zach Britton, Mike Moustakas and Ian Kinsler were among the big names that moved ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom, J.T. Realmuto and McCutchen had been mentioned in trade speculation, but stayed put.
One of Harper’s teammates packed up. Exactly a year after getting traded from Minnesota to Washington, reliever Brandon Kintzler was part of another deadline deal, sent to the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.
Minnesota sent power-hitting second baseman Dozier to the NL West-leading Dodgers for INF Logan Forsythe and two minor leaguers. Dozier is now part of a revamped infield for the defending NL West champions, who added Machado two weeks ago.
The Diamondbacks reacquired reliever Brad Ziegler from Miami early Tuesday, then boosted their bullpen by getting Diekman from the Rangers. Wanting to make Diekman’s move easy, the D’backs offered the services of the bullpen cart. “They asked and I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to carry all of my stuff,’” Diekman said. In other MLB news: Red Sox: Put ace Chris Sale on the 10-day disabled list with left shoulder inflammations.
Giants: Placed RHP Johnny Cueto, the former Red, on the DL with a sprained right elbow. Manager Bruce Bochy said there’s a “strong possibility” he will need reconstructive surgery.