CarterHud

           The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired LHP Xavier Cedeno from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for OF Bryan Connell and RHP Johan Dominguez.

           For the Brewers, lefties Josh Hader and Dan Jennings have combined for nearly 130 innings this season. Speaking of Jennings, this reminds me of last year\’s trade when Milwaukee acquired Jennings, a southpaw who was in the midst of a good season. They give up two low leveled prospects, so it\’s hard to say if they gave up much or not.

            Cedeno, 32, has a 2.84 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 25.1 innings for the White Sox this year. In his career for the White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Washington Nationals and Houston Astros, Cedeno has an ERA of 3.81, with a 1.37 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 167.2 innings.

            For the White Sox, they are a bad team, and don\’t need Cedeno. Low leveled prospects are hard to rate, but at least they have Dominguez and Connell, even though they are highly risk/reward.

            Dominguez, 22, has a .82 ERA with a .85 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 33 innings in rookie league this year.

            Connell, 19, has a .235 batting average, seven homers and 24 RBIs in 183 Plate Appearances at Rookie level this year.

            This trade is hard to grade, so I\’ll call it even. Pretty much every trade with low leveled prospects is hard to grade. So, it\’s an even trade for now.

       The Colorado Rockies have acquired C Drew Butera from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for LHP Jerry Vasto.

       For the Rockies, Chris Iannetta and Tony Wolters aren\’t really the best catching tandem. Butera isn\’t having a great season, but is a decent backup catcher. I think he can fight with Tony Wolters down the stretch for a spot on the playoff roster, assuming they get there.

       Butera, 35, has a batting average of .188 with two homers and 18 RBIs in 166 Plate Appearances for the Royals this year. In his MLB career for the Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins, Butera has a batting average of .201, with 18 homers and 108 RBIs in 1329 Plate Appearances.

       For the Royals, with Salvador Perez as their starter and Cam Gallagher as their backup, they don\’t need Butera. They get a prospect for him, better than I\’d expect.

        Vasto, 26, let up three runs with a strikeout in .2 innings for the Rockies earlier this season, his only MLB appearance. He might be a September call-up for the Royals.

             The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired RHP Ryan Madson from the Washington Nationals in exchange for RHP Andrew Istler.

             For the Dodgers, Madson can deliver help to the bullpen, and is a vet that will help them in the postseason and down the stretch. They only give up one prospect for him, but get him for just a month.

             Madson, 38, has a 5.28 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, four saves and 41 strikeouts in 44.1 innings for the Nats this year. In his MLB career for the Nats, Oakland Athletics, Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies, Madson has an ERA of 3.45 with a 1.24 WHIP, 91 saves, plus 762 strikeouts in 861.1 innings.

            For the Nats, they don\’t need Madson, as he is a pending free agent, and they aren\’t making the playoffs. They get Istler, a soon to be 26 year old who needs a good spring training next year if he wants to make the team.

            Istler, now 25, has a 2.37 ERA, .89 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 79.2 innings between High-A, AA and AAA this year.

            I think this is an even trade. The Dodgers get the reliever they need, and the Nats get a farmhand.

              The New York Yankees have acquired OF Andrew McCutchen from the San Fransisco Giants in exchange for INF Abiatal Avelino and RHP Juan De Paula.

             For the Yankees, Aaron Judge is out with a wrist injury, and is still weeks away from returning. Also, Brett Gardner is having a bad year. Until Judge returns, McCutchen will be the right fielder, and Neil Walker will go back to second base. Luke Voit is currently hot, but if he starts to settle down when Didi Gregorius returns and Gleyber Torres goes back to 2nd, then Walker can play some 1st, amid Greg Bird\’s disappointing season. McCutchen, a former MVP, will help the team down the stretch.

             McCutchen, 31, has a .255 batting average with 15 homers, 55 RBIs and 13 steals in 568 Plate Appearances for the Giants this year. In his MLB career for the Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, McCutchen has a batting average of .288, with 218 home runs, 780 RBIs and 184 stolen bases in 6397 Plate Appearances.

             For the Giants, they aren\’t in playoffs contention, and have no use for the pending free agent. They get some prospects for a month of McCutchen. Avelino, New York\’s 23rd best prospect, is blocked by Miguel Andujar, Torres and Gregorius. The Yankees don\’t need him. De Paula, their 26th prospect, will probably be a farmhand for the Giants, maybe a 4th or 5th starter.

             Avelino, 23, has a .287 batting average, with 15 homers, 66 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 501 Plate Appearances between AA and AAA this season.

             De Paula, 20, has a 1.71 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 47.1 innings for Low-A Staten Island this season.

             I think this is an even trade. The Yankees get some outfield help, and the Giants get some prospects.

           The Minnesota Twins have acquired C Chris Gimenez and a player to be named later or cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for C Bobby Wilson. In a separate trade, the Atlanta Braves shipped C Chris Stewart to the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations.

          For the Twins, Gimenez was a Twin last season, and I personally think he\’s a better option than Wilson. They know what they are getting, and don\’t give up much.

          For the Cubs, pitching coach Jim Hickey coached Wilson in Tampa Bay, and per Marc Topkin of TB Times, Hickey still uses Wilson\’s glove from back in their days with the Rays.

          For the D-backs, Stewart was recently DFA\’d, and will be used as organizational depth in the minors. I doubt he\’ll see any more playing time in the majors this season.

          For the Braves, Stewart was the third catcher behind Kurt Suzuki and Tyler Flowers. They don\’t need Stewart on the team. That\’s obviously why he was DFA\’d.

          Gimenez, 35, has a .143 batting average, with one RBI this in 32 Plate Appearances this year for the Cubs. In his MLB career for the Cubs, Twins, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, Gimenez has a batting average of .216, with 22 homers and 83 RBIs in 1033 Plate Appearances.

            Wilson, 35, has a .178 batting average, two homers and 16 RBIs in 151 Plate Appearances for the Twins this season. In his MLB career for the Twins, Rays, Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels, Wilson has a batting average of .208, with 18 home runs and 100 RBIs in 1000 Plate Appearances.

              Stewart, 36, has a .214 batting average with three RBIs in 16 Plate Appearances this year for the Braves. In his MLB career for the Braves, Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and San Fransisco Giants, Stewart has a batting average of .230, with nine homers and 90 RBIs in 1333 Plate Appearances.