Yankees get Gallo to boost offense
The New York Yankees, battling for a playoff spot in the American League, added a lethal bat to their lineup by acquiring left-handed hitting outfielder Joey Gallo from the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, multiple media outlets reported.
The Yankees will also get left-handed pitcher John King in the deal, while Texas is set to welcome six of New York’s prospects: outfielder Everson Pereira, infielder Ezequiel Duran, second baseman/outfielder Trevor Hauver, shortstop Josh Smith and righthanded pitchers Randy Vasquez and Glenn Otto.
Gallo, 27, is a two-time All-Star who has 25 home runs and 55 RBIs this year while batting .223 and slugging .490. He has also drawn a major-leagueleading 74 walks.
During June and early July, Gallo hit 11 homers in a stretch of 12 games. He later participated in the Home Run Derby during MLB’s All-Star break.
In 568 games over seven seasons, all with Texas, Gallo has 145 home runs and 317 RBIs while batting .211. He hit 41 home runs in 2017 and 40 in 2018.
King has appeared in 33 games out of the bullpen for Texas the past two years. This season, he owns a 7-5 record and 3.52 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 12 walks in 46 innings.
A’S ACQUIRE MARTE FROM MARLINS >> The Oakland Athletics obtained outfielder Sterling Marte from the Miami Marlins for lefthander Jesús Luzardo.
Marte, 32, a former AllStar and two-time Gold Glove winner with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is batting .306 with an .859 OPS and 22 stolen bases in 25 attempts. The Marlins will cover nearly all of his remaining contract for 2021, and he becomes a free agent after this season.
The Marlins made the deal after they were unable to reach an agreement with Marte on a contract extension.
Later in the day, the Marlins dealt right-handed closer Yimi García, who had 15 saves, to the Houston Astros for outfielder Bryan De La Cruz and right-hander Austin Pruitt.
Luzardo is 2-4 with a 6.87 ERA in 13 games, including six starts. He was sidelined for four weeks in May after he broke the pinkie on his pitching hand when he thumped a table while playing a video game.
BREWERS ADD ESCOBAR FROM DIAMONDBACKS >> The Milwaukee Brewers acquired All-Star third baseman Eduardo Escobar from the Arizona Diamondbacks for two prospects.
The switch-hitter made his first All-Star game this season and is batting .246 with 22 homers.
Arizona received outfielder Cooper Hummel and infielder Alberto Ciprian from the Brewers.
NATIONALS-PHILLIES POSTPONED >> Four Washington Nationals players and eight staffers tested positive for COVID-19, forcing Major League Baseball to postpone their game against the host Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.
The postponement came one day after Nationals star Trea Turner exited the game against Philadelphia in the first inning following his positive test for the virus.
Washington manager Dave Martinez said Turner was among four players who tested positive. He didn’t identify the others.
Martinez said all but one of those who tested positive have been vaccinated. Those who tested positive have either no symptoms or minor symptoms, such as a head cold, the manager said.
“I encourage people to get vaccinated,” Martinez said. “It does help. I’m seeing it first-hand. It’s basically a small head cold, but they’re doing fine.”