Rays dealing at the trade deadline
Pittsburgh grabs pitcher Chris Archer and Philadelphia gets catcher Wilson Ramos among the many moves.
The Pittsburgh Pirates bolstered the front end of their rotation and their bullpen at Tuesday’s trade deadline, adding Tampa Bay right-hander Chris Archer and closer Keone Kela from the Texas for coveted prospects in outfielder Austin Meadows and pitcher Tyler Glasnow and Taylor Hearn, plus a couple of players to be named.
Archer, a two-time AllStar, is 3-5 with a 4.31 earnedrun average in 17 starts this season. The 29-year-old gives the Pirates a significant jolt in experience in a rotation that includes three starters 26 or younger. Kela has 24 saves and a 3.44 ERA.
The Pirates entered Tuesday night’s game against the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs 31⁄2 games out of the second wild-card spot thanks to a 15-4 stretch.
“I’m excited,” Archer said after a round of hugs in the Tampa Bay clubhouse. “They’re super-hot right now, and they want me. They gave up their top two guys. Guys with some really good upside. 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.”
Ramos to Phillies
Philadelphia acquired injured All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos from Tampa Bay for a player to be named or cash and got left-hander Aaron Loup from Toronto for a minor league pitcher.
Ramos is batting .297 with 14 homers and 53 RBIs but is on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain and isn’t expected back until mid-to-late August. Phillies catchers Jorge Alfaro (.254, 23 RBIs) and Andrew Knapp have combined for 16 errors and 13 passed balls.
Loup has a 4.54 ERA in 50 relief appearances.
More Orioles moves
Pitchers Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day (Atlanta) and infielder Jonathan Schoop (Milwaukee) joined the exodus from Baltimore, which has cut nearly $29 million in payroll for this year and next while acquiring 14 prospects, Brewers infielder Jonathan Villar and $2.75 million in international signing bonus allotment in exchange for six veterans.
More trades
More players traded for prospects: Detroit center fielder Leonys Martin (Cleveland); Miami reliever Brad Ziegler (Arizona) and outfielder Cameron Maybin (Seattle); Washington reliever Brandon Kintzler (Chicago Cubs); Texas reliever Jake Diekman (Arizona); and St. Louis outfielder Tommy Pham (Tampa Bay).
Nationals tee off
Twenty-five runs on 26 hits. Washington gave the New York Mets such a pounding Tuesday that Jose Reyes pitched for the first time in his career, and the 35year-old infielder got tagged for home runs by Matt Adams and Mark Reynolds in a six-run eighth. Throwing a fastball in the mid-80s and a curve in the upper 40s, Reyes gave up five hits and walked two.
Bryce Harper, who had been mentioned in trade speculation, hit two RBI doubles and scored three times. David Murphy had an RBI single in the first, a two-run homer in the second and a three-run drive in the third. The ex-Met is hitting .391 (59 for 151) with 11 homers and 43 RBIs against New York.
Etc.
Boston put Chris Sale on the 10-day disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. ... Newly acquired New York Yankees left-hander J.A. Happ has been diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease, an infectious illness that often affects children. Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard has been sidelined with the disease . ... Daniel Gossett will be the fourth Oakland pitcher to undergo elbow ligament replacement surgery this season.