Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
‘Ecstatic’ Astros add Greinke
NEW YORK — The Astros acquired ace Zack Greinke on Wednesday, adding another All-Star to a formidable rotation that already included Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.
The AL West leaders got Greinke in a startling trade with the Diamondbacks for four minor leaguers, a deal in which the D’backs agreed to pay the Astros $26 million to cover much of the roughly $76 million the pitcher is due. It came right before the deadline to complete deals to have players eligible for the postseason.
“We are just really shocked and ecstatic,” Cole said.
Cole said when the players learned of the deal there was “a lot of hooting and hollering at 4:07. We are ecstatic. We’re getting a Hall of Famer, a craftsman.”
Greinke pitched five innings earlier in the day at Yankee Stadium, giving up two runs to the Yankees in a 7-5 loss. He’s 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA this season.
The Astros won the 2017 World Series and lost the 2018 ALCS to the eventual champion Red Sox. They loaded up again with the 35-year-old Greinke, getting a six-time All-Star and the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner.
Greinke’s addition gives the Astros four starters with ERAs in the top 15 in the majors this year. Verlander is fifth with a 2.73 ERA, Greinke is ninth, Cole is 11th at 2.94 and Wade Miley ranks 14th at 3.06.
Verlander leads the AL in wins (14) and ERA, and Cole tops with the majors with 212 strikeouts.
The D’backs got right-handers J.B. Bukauskas and Corbin Martin, outfielder Seth Beer and infielder Joshua Rojas.