CarterHud

             The Arizona Coyotes have acquired forward Josh Archibald, goalies Sean MaGuire and a 6th round pick in 2019 from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for goalie Michael Leighton and a 4th rounder in 2019.

              For the Coyotes, they already have Antti Raanta, Scott Wedgewood and Adin Hill ahead of Leighton on the depth chart. With a need for forwards, Archibald makes sense. MaGuire is just a goalie prospect.

             Archibald, 25, has no points in three games this year. In his NHL career, all for the Penguins, Archibald has scored three points, all goals in 14 games.

             MaGuire, 24, has a 2.19 GAA and .924 SV% in four games in the AHL this year.

             I don\’t get this for the Penguins. I think it\’s because they want an experienced back-up for Tristan Jarry while Matt Murray is out. That\’s all I can think of.

           Leighton, 36, hasn\’t played in the NHL this year. In his NHL career for the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers, Leighton has a GAA of 2.98 and a .900 SV%.

               The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired OF Matt Kemp from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for LHP Scott Kazmir, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, RHP Brandon McCarthy and INF Charlie Culberson. $4.5 million is going Atlanta\’s way, and Gonzalez was immediately DFA\’d.

               Kemp, an old friend, is owed $21.5 this year, but the Dodgers still unloaded Kazmir and Gonzalez. But, according to Dodgers writer Ken Gurnick, the Dodgers are just as likely to flip Kemp as they are to have him play in 2018. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal said Kemp could be released or DFA\’d, like Gonzalez.

               Kemp, 33, hit .276, with 19 homers and 64 RBIs in 467 Plate Appearances for the Braves in 2017. In his MLB career for the Braves, Dodgers and San Diego Padres, Kemp has a batting average of .285, with 259 homers, 920 RBIs and 163 stolen bases in 6283 Plate Appearances.

              The traded Kemp so they could get him off the books a year early, and clear up a spot in LF for super prospect Ronald Acuna. Gonzalez, Kazmir and McCarthy all have one year left. Kazmir could also be flipped. Gonzalez would of been a backup in L.A., and the same in Atlanta. He\’ll probably elect free agency and sign a minor league deal, or sign a cheap major league deal.

             Gonzalez, 35, had a .242 batting average, with three homers and 30 RBIs in 253 Plate Appearances for the Dodgers in 2017. In hi MLB career for the Dodgers, Padres, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, \”A-Gon\” has a batting average of .288, with 311 home runs and 1176 RBIs in 7859 Plate Appearances.
 
              Kazmir, 33, had an ERA of 4.56, a 1.36 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 136.1 innings for the Dodgers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Dodgers, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians, Kazmir has a 4.01 ERA, 1.35 WHIP 1608 strikeouts in 1689.2 innings.

               McCarthy, 34, had a 3.98 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 92.2 innings for the Dodgers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Dodgers, Athletics, Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, McCarthy has a 4.15 ERA, a WHIP of 1.29, and 843 strikeouts in 1145 innings.

                Culberson, 28, had a .154 batting average with no homers and one RBI in 15 Plate Appearances for the Dodgers in 2017. In his MLB career for the Dodgers, Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants, Culberson has a batting average of .231, with six homers, 45 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 443 Plate Appearances.

               I think this is an even trade. It\’s mainly just a cap dump for 2018, but gives both teams options for the crowded free agency of post-2018.

            The Texas Rangers have acquired LHP Matt Moore and international signing bonus pool money from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for RHPs Sam Wolff and Israel Cruz.

            After trading Yu Darvish, the Rangers have been looking for rotation help to support Cole Hamels. They\’ve targeted Darvish and the other big starter, Jake Arrieta, plus signed Doug Fister and Mike Minor, who could transition to a starting role. Add Martin Perez in there, and that puts less pressure on either Minor or Matt Bush to go from the pen to the rotation.

            Moore, 28, had a 5.52 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 148 strikeouts in 174.1 innings for the Giants in 2017. In his MLB career for the Giants and Tampa Bay Rays, Moore has a 4.27 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, plus 711 strikeouts in 782.2 innings.

            After Moore\’s departure, expect the Giants to go after a 4/5 starter in the rotation. Moore\’s rough 2017 made him expendable, and they dealt him for two prospects, which makes the chances they get a major leaguer higher.

            Wolff, 26, has a 3.25 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 223 strikeouts in 243.2 innings in his minor league career.

              Cruz, 20, has a 4.02 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 127 strikeouts in 150 innings in his minor league career.

              Nobody wins this trade. Wolff has some potential to become a reliever in the MLB, and Cruz is too far away to tell. Moore needs to rebound to make this trade go Texas\’ way.

             The San Diego Padres have acquired SS Freddy Galvis from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for RHP Enyel De Los Santos, the Padres 13th best prospect.

             The Padres are looking to contend in 2019. Though they only get a year of Galvis, they could re-sign him, or be a surprise team in 2018. Anyway, they needed a SS. Galvis works.

              Galvis, 28, had a .255 batting average, 12 homers, 61 RBIs and 14 steals in 663 Plate Appearances for the Phillies. Fun fact: Galvis was one of five MLB players to play in all 162 games in 2017. The others are free agents Eric Hosmer and Alcides Escobar (who both did it with the Royals, and were/are still in talks with the Padres), the Rangers Roughned Odor, and the Reds Joey Votto, who was an MVP candidate. In his MLB career, all in Philly, Galvis has a batting average of .245, plus 52 homers, 233 RBIs and 43 stolen bases in 2440 Plate Appearances.

              The Phillies don\’t need Galvis with prospect J.P. Crawford ready for 2017. De Los Santos is going to be their 9th best prospect.

               De Los Santos, 21, has a 3.70 ERA, a WHIP of 1.21, plus 306 strikeouts in 333.1 innings in his minor league career.

               I think the Padres win this deal. They got what they needed, and didn\’t need De Los Santos. Same thing goes for the Phillies, but I think it\’s a 51/49 deal, with the Padres coming up on top.

          The Los Angeles Angels have signed SS Zack Cozart to a 3 year, $38 million deal.

          Cozart is a shortstop, but with Andrelton Simmons, he will fill the Angels need at either second or third base. He is a solid sign, and the best SS on the market.

           Cozart, 32, had a .297 batting average, 24 homers and 63 RBIs in 507 Plate Appearances in 2017 for the Cincinnati Reds. In his career, all in Cincy, Cozart has a batting average of .254, 82 homers and 280 RBIs in 3028 Plate Appearances.