Dozier, Archer among big names to move
Fifteen late swaps made as contenders prep for playoff push
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, Jonathan Schoop 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 trade market kept spinning at a dizzying pace. Every team except San Francisco made at least one deal since the AllStar Game, with Tampa Bay swinging seven.
Archer, a two-time All-Star, 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 Pirates club that has pushed back into the playoff race even after trading away Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen in the offseason.
“They’re super-hot right now, and they want me,” Archer said. “I’m excited to be part of the organization that wants me, part of a rich baseball history, a hardworking community. I can’t wait to get there.”
Wide-open race in NL
The Pirates entered Tuesday night's game against the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs 3½ games out of the second wild-card spot thanks to a torrid stretch that began July 8.
“Given the quality of the core, the players we have and those who are still on the horizon, the ability to add two players such as this, we feel, pushed us into a higher level and allows us to believe we are going to be one of those teams that has a legitimate chance to make the postseason not only this year (but beyond),” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.
The Rays sent former All-Star catcher Ramos to NL East-leading Philadelphia, while Leonys Martin, Kevin Gausman and Cameron Maybin 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 the Astros have been busy.
Manny Machado, Cole Hamels, Zach Britton, Mike Moustakas and Ian Kinsler were among the big names that moved earlier this month.
Bryce Harper, Jacob deGrom, J.T. Realmuto and McCutchen had been mentioned in trade speculation but stayed put.
“I think whenever you hear your name or see your name on stuff, you always wonder. But I think that’s just the business side of the game,” Harper said. “It’s part of the game.”
Birthday special
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. This time, the Nationals sent him to the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.
“I thought they were joking. I figured it’s not April’s Fools. They called me in, I said, ‘Am I traded?’ They said yeah,” Kintzler said.
An All-Star last year, Kintzler turns 34 on Wednesday.
“Birthday again tomorrow, so I’m traveling on my birthday again, so that’s great. It is what it is,” he said.
Dozier had been a fixture in Minnesota’s lineup for years. But the Twins dipped this season, and they sent the powerhitting second baseman to the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Logan Forsythe and two minor leaguers.
Rather than starting at Target Field in Minneapolis, the 31year-old Dozier hustled to join his new club as it hosted Milwaukee. He’s now part of a revamped infield for the defending NL West champion Dodgers, who added Machado two weeks ago.
“Brian’s brand here in Minnesota, I don’t know if you can get much better than that,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “Everything that he’s done for the community and the way that he’s played the game, he’s set a great example for our young guys throughout, and you’re going to miss a guy like that.”
Mets hold on to young arms
The New York Mets had discussions about their talent-rich young pitchers, who include deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler.
“We were not going to move those players unless it involved considerable talent coming back in our direction,” assistant general manager John Ricco said.
Diekman definitely was on the go.
The 31-year-old lefty struck out two while pitching for Texas on Monday night in a win at Arizona. 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 Diamondbacks offered the services of the bullpen cart used to ferry relievers into the game.
“They asked and I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t want to carry all of my stuff,“’ Diekman said.