CarterHud

From Getty

                    The Chicago White Sox have acquired 1B Yonder Alonso from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for OF Alex Call.

                    For the White Sox, they non-tendered DH/1B/3B Matt Davidson, who played a role similar to what Alonso would likely play. Alonso could play first base to give Jose Abreu a rest in the field, and DH regularly. Another interesting point has to do with family. Alonso is the brother-in-law to one of the best free agents out there, Manny Machado, who the White Sox are reportedly one of the top teams in his sweepstakes. Alonso has 20 home run power, and would replace Davidson well.

                     Alonso, 32, hit .250, with 23 home runs and 83 RBIs in 574 Plate Appearances for the Indians in 2018. The best year of his career came in 2017 with the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners, where he had a .266 batting average, 28 home runs and 67 RBIs in 521 Plate Appearances, earning his only all-star appearance. In his career for the Indians, A\’s, Mariners, San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds, Alonso has a batting average of .265, with 90 home runs and 389 RBIs in 3438 Plate Appearances.

                     For the Indians, they recently acquired two first basemen in Carlos Santana and Jake Bauers, making it easier to trade Alonso. While they trade him to a division rival, a thing many teams try to avoid, they get a prospect for him, and they most likely would not have needed him in 2018.

                     Call, 24, had a batting average of .248, with 12 homers and 58 RBIs in 505 Plate Appearances for High-A Winston-Salem, and AA Birmingham.

from Getty

             The Cleveland Indians have acquired 1B Carlos Santana, 1B/OF Jake Bauers and traded DH Edwin Encarnacion to the Seattle Mariners in a three team trade. The Tampa Bay Rays, who traded Bauers, received 3B Yandy Diaz and RHP Cole Sulser in the deal.

              For the Indians, they wanted to get rid of Encarnacion\’s contract, but they also take on Santana\’s deal. It isn\’t like Encarnacion was worthless, he hit over 30 home runs in his two seasons in Clevland. I wouldn\’t understand the trade for them if they didn\’t get Bauers, but they did. Bauers can play first if Santana is playing DH, or right field. They give up Diaz, a backup infielder, as well. Santana also spent the majority of his career with Cleveland.

                Santana, 32, had a .229 batting average, with 24 homers and 86 RBIs in 679 Plate Appearances in 2018 for the Philadelphia Phillies. The best year of his career came in 2016 with the Indians, when he had a batting average of .259, with 34 home runs and 87 RBIs. In his MLB career with the Phillies and Indians, Santana has a .247 batting average, with 198 home runs and 673 RBIs in 5461 PA.

                 Bauers, 23, debuted with the Rays in 2018 with a .201 batting average, 11 home runs, 48 RBIs and six stolen bases in 388 Plate Appearances.

                 For the Mariners, I don\’t understand this trade. They get rid of Santana\’s contract, but take on Encarnacion\’s. I think it could be because Encarnacion only has one more year left on his contract. They could have at least gotten a prospect.

                  Encarnacion, who will be 36 by the start of 2018, hit .246 with 32 home runs and 107 RBIs in 579 Plate Appearances in 2018. The best year of his career came in 2012 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he had a .280 batting average, 42 home runs and 110 RBIs in 644 Plate Appearances. In his career for the Indians, Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds, Encarnacion has a batting average of .264, 380 RBIs and 1156 RBIs in 7459 Plate Appearances.

                  For the Rays, they give up a young first baseman for a farm arm and a depth infielder. Confused? Me too. I honestly have nothing else to say here.

                   Diaz, 27, had a .312 batting average with one homer and 15 RBIs in 120 Plate Appearances for the Indians in 2018. In his MLB career, all for the Indians, Diaz has a .283 batting average, that one homer and 28 RBIs in 299 Plate Appearances.

                   Sulser, 28, had a 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 95 strikeouts in 60.2 innings for AA Akron and AAA Columbus in 2018.

From the New York Post

              The Philadelphia Phillies have signed OF Andrew McCutchen to a three year, $50 million deal.

               After trading Carlos Santana to the Mariners, LF Rhys Hoskins will move back to first base, opening a spot for left field. It was seen that the Phillies would sign either McCutchen or Michael Brantley, and they chose McCutchen. The former MVP is now a shell of his former self, but he still makes solid money here.

               McCutchen, 32, had a .255 batting average, 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 682 Plate Appearances for the New York Yankees and San Fransisco Giants in 2018. The best year of his career was in 2012 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he had a .327 batting average, 31 home runs, 96 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. In his MLB career for the Yankees, Giants and Pirates, McCutchen has a .287 batting average, with 223 home runs, 790 RBIs and 185 stolen bases in 6511 Plate Appearances.

From District on Deck

         The Cincinnati Reds have acquired RHP Tanner Roark from the Washington Nationals in exchange for RHP Tanner Rainey.

         For the Reds, they have been reportedly engaged in trade talks for a starter, with the Yankees\’ Sonny Gray being the name seen most, plus they\’ve been trying to re-sign Matt Harvey. Roark has had good seasons before, and they are willing to pay the number north of $10 million Roark is expected to earn in arbitration. The big hold back is that Roark is coming off two tough years in 2017 and 2018.

        Roark, 32, had a 4.34 ERA, 4.27 FIP and 146 strikeouts in 180.1 innings for the Nationals in 2018. The best year of his career came in 2016, when he had a 2.83 ERA, 3.79 FIP and 172 strikeouts in 210 innings. In his MLB career, all for the Nationals, Roark has an ERA of 3.59, with a 3.91 FIP and 732 strikeouts in 935 innings.

         For the Nats, after signing Patrick Corbin to a $140 million deal, the Nats needed to get rid of some contracts, and a rotation spot. Like I mentioned before, Roark is expected to make $10 million in 2019, and wasn\’t worth that much to them. They get Rainey, a player that just made his MLB debut at the end of 2018. Fun fact: Rainey is the only other Tanner R. in MLB history, besides Roark.

         Rainey, who will be 26 by the start of 2019, allowed 19 runs in seven innings (24.43 ERA) with seven strikeouts.

MLBtraderumors

     The Chicago White Sox have acquired RHP Ivan Nova from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Yordi Rosario and international pool money.

     For the White Sox, Nova is an experienced starter that can help at the back end of their rotation, that is expecting full seasons from Carlos Rodon, Reynaldo Lopez and Lucas Giolito. He has one more year left on his contract, and they don\’t give up too much for a back-end starter.

     Nova, who will be 32 by the start of 2019, had a 4.19 ERA, 4.57 FIP and 114 strikeouts in 161 innings in 2018. The best year of his career was in 2013 with the New York Yankees, when he had a 3.10 ERA, 3.47 FIP and 116 strikeouts in 139.1 innings. In his MLB career for the Pirates and Yankees, Nova has an ERA of 4.26, with a 4.33 FIP and 840 strikeouts in 1141.2 innings.

     For the Pirates, they are making this trade to clear up a rotation spot. This trade could help them get the pitcher to fill that spot. The international pool money could go to Yusei Kikuchi, the Japanese LHP that was posted this offseason. They also get a young prospect in Rosario.

     Rosario, 19, has a 3.43 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 162.2 innings in rookie league in his career.