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| From MLB Trade Rumors |
The Houston Astros have acquired C Martin Maldonado from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for IF/OF Tony Kemp.
The Astros could use a backup catcher, as Max Stassi is hitting .167 on the season. Maldonado is great defensively, and is better offensively than Stassi. The Astros traded for Maldonado at last year\’s deadline, so they know him well. He\’s a free agent at the end of the year, and Kemp was recently DFA\’d.
Maldonado, 32, has a .217 batting average with six homers and 17 RBIs in 276 Plate Appearances for the Cubs and Kansas City Royals this year. In his MLB career for the Cubs, Royals, Astros, Los Angeles Angels and Milwaukee Brewers, Maldonado has a .219 average with 57 homers and 210 RBIs in 2245 Plate Appearances.
The Cubs traded for Maldonado two weeks ago, but with Willson Contreras returning from the IL and Victor Caratini as the backup, they decided to flip him. Kemp is the utility man they seeked when they went after Eric Sogard, but failed to acquire him.
Kemp, 27, has a .227 batting average with seven homers, 17 RBIs and four stolen bases in 186 Plate Appearances this year. In his MLB career, all in Houston, Kemp has a .240 average with 14 homers, 58 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 656 Plate Appearances.
CarterHud 