Guess who’s back? Thor sent to rival Phils
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired former Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard, veteran reliever David Robertson and center fielder Brandon Marsh in three trades on Tuesday.
The Phillies sent minor league outfielders Mickey Moniak and Jadiel Sanchez to the Los Angeles Angels for Syndergaard, who returns to the NL East after spending his first six seasons with the New York Mets.
The 29-year-old Syndergaard went 5-8 with a 3.83 ERA in 15 starts after agreeing to a $21 million, one-year deal with Los Angeles in November.
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to play games for a team that is in the postseason hunt,” Syndergaard said in the Angels clubhouse after being informed about the trade. “It’s going to be an exciting race. I’m not going to be able to avoid the New York Mets media now.”
Philadelphia is fighting for one of three NL wild cards. It hasn’t made the postseason since 2011.
Robertson is 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA and 14 saves in 36 appearances this year. The right-hander finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Cubs on March 16.
Marsh is a lefty-hitting, righty-throwing 24-year-old with speed, power projection and strong defense. He ranked among Los Angeles’ top prospects before debuting in the majors last season, but he has struggled in the big leagues. He’s a .239 hitter in 163 games with 10 homers, 14 stolen bases and a .653 OPS.
BRAVES TRY ’21 REDUX
Looking to replicate the deals that helped carry them to a World
Series title in 2021, the Atlanta Braves added another starting pitcher, bolstered their bullpen and bulked up the outfield ahead of the trade deadline Tuesday.
After acquiring corner outfielder Robbie Grossman from the Detroit Tigers late Monday, general manager Alex Anthopoulos started the day finalizing a deal that brought right-hander Jake Odorizzi from the Houston Astros in exchange for former Atlanta closer Will Smith.
Then, barely beating the clock before the 6 p.m. EST deadline, the Braves landed Los Angels Angels closer Raisel Iglesias for reliever
Jesse Chavez and pitching prospect Tucker Davidson.
The flurry of trades, which also included Monday’s less-prominent deal that brought Washington infielder Ehire Adrianza back to Atlanta to help fill in while Ozzie Albies recovers from a broken foot, was reminiscent of the moves Anthopoulos pulled off at the 2021 deadline.
UNVAXXED MERRIFIELD HEADS NORTH
Whit Merrifield said last month he might be willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 if it meant playing for a team in contention, even though he had refused to get the shot while playing for the lastplace Kansas City Royals.
He’ll have to make that decision now.
In a unique and potentially unprecedented situation, the Royals traded Merrifield to the Toronto Blue Jays just minutes before the trade deadline Tuesday. And if the two-time All-Star wants to play any games in Canada down the stretch, Merrifield will be required to get one of the approved vaccines to enter the country.
TWINS BULK UP PITCHING
The Minnesota Twins badly needed pitching and weren’t afraid to part with multiple promising minor leaguers to get it.
The Twins stocked up their sputtering staff Tuesday leading right up to the trade deadline, acquiring All-Star closer Jorge Lopez from the Baltimore Orioles, starter Tyler Mahle from the Cincinnati Reds and reliever Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers as they gave up a total of eight prospects in three separate deals.