CarterHud

          The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired goalie Jack Campbell and forward Kyle Clifford from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Trevor Moore, a 2020 third round pick (originally from Columbus) and a conditional 2021 3rd round pick. If Clifford, a pending free agent, re-signs with the Leafs, the draft pick becomes a second rounder. It also becomes a second round pick if the Maple Leafs make the 2019-20 playoffs and Campbell wins six regular season games.

           For the second year in a row, the trade deadline season was kicked off with a trade between the Leafs and the Kings. Last year, it was Toronto sending their first round pick, Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi to L.A. for Jake Muzzin, who is still with the club. While this trade is not as big as its predecessor, Toronto is finally upgrading a position of dire need: backup goaltender. Starter Frederik Andersen is day-to-day with a neck injury, and backup Michael Hutchinson has been terrible. He has lost 10 of his 14 decisions (counting his one overtime loss). Hutchinson has a .886 save percentage and a 3.66 GAA this year. Campbell is definitely an upgrade. The 11th overall pick in 2010, Campbell was a late bloomer, not getting a real NHL chance until last year, with his second team. He was very good as Jonathan Quick\’s backup, with a .928 save percentage. He has regressed this year, with a save percentage that has been hovering around .900. Campbell is very cheap, with a cap hit of $675k. Campbell would have been a free agent at the end of the year, but in September he signed two year extension with a $1.65 million cap hit. If Campbell can get to half of his 2018-19 production, that will be a steal of a contract. Clifford also brings something that the Leafs don\’t really have – a defensive forward not afraid to hit. The Leafs\’ forward corps consist of skilled forwards like Moore, but not much hitting. Grinders aren\’t necessary anymore, but it is good to have one. The Leafs\’ forwards leader in hits is Dmytro Timashov, who isn\’t a regular. He also has 75 hits, 15 less than Clifford. While Clifford has played in nearly 20 more games, he also brings the veteran presence that Toronto lacks. He won two Stanley Cups in his Los Angeles tenure.

             Campbell, 28, has a .900 save percentage and a 2.85 GAA in 20 games for the Kings this year. In his NHL career for the Kings and Dallas Stars, Campbell has a .916 save percentage and a 2.58 GAA in 58 games.

             Clifford, 29, has six goals with eight assists for 14 points in 53 games for the Kings this year. In his NHL career, all in Los Angeles, Clifford has scored 60 goals with 69 assists for 129 points in 660 games.

             The Kings are in sell mode. If they had not signed Campbell to an extension the trade would make more sense, however, they need a goalie. It does help them tank more. Quick has been terrible this year, with a save percentage under .900 and a GAA over 3.00. Cal Peterson is the only other goalie on the roster. The 25 year old from Iowa has had an encouraging first NHL season, with a .924 save percentage in 11 games. Moore can be an upgrade from Clifford. The undrafted forward has 24 goals and 41 points in 48 games over the last two AHL seasons, but has struggled in the NHL. He has played all but two of his professional games this year in the NHL. He will get a bigger chance with the Kings, but if he couldn\’t score in a very offense heavy system in Toronto, there might not be much hope for Moore. This trade marks the start of a big February for the Kings. Former Cup winners Alec Martinez and Tyler Toffoli are likely on the way out.

               Moore, 24, has three goals with two assists for five points in 27 games for the Leafs this year. In his NHL career, all in Toronto, Moore has scored five goals with eight assists for 13 points in 52 games.

             The Arizona Diamondbacks have acquired OF Starling Marte and cash from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Brennan Malone and IF Liover Peguero, plus international signing bonus pool money.

            Marte trade rumors have been spread all offseason, with multiple teams including the Mets reportedly in on the former all-star. Marte has always been a speed threat, with 20 stolen bases in all of his first seven full seasons, including a career high 47 in 2016. He won two Gold Gloves from 2015-16. He had his best offensive season in 2019, with career highs in home runs, slugging percentage and OPS. The Pirates are entering full rebuild mode, and shedding salary is a common first step. The Pirates get two young prospects, but neither are top 100 prospects.

            With bringing in a center-fielder, the Diamondbacks could move Ketel Marte back to the infield, as there are no clear front-runners to start at second base. The new Marte will play center while David Peralta and newcomer Kole Calhoun are on the corners. Speedy outfielder Tim Locastro will fit in as the fourth outfielder, and prospect Josh Rojas can play left field as well. Marte going back to the infield all depends on if Jake Lamb can win back the third base job and move 118 RBI man Eduardo Escobar to second base. Lamb hit 30 home runs in 2017 but has been horrendous in the two seasons since.

            Marte, 31, hit 23 home runs with 25 stolen bases, a .295 batting average and a .845 OPS in 586 Plate Appearances in 2019. In his MLB career, all in Pittsburgh, Marte has hit 108 home runs with 239 stolen bases, a .287 batting average and a .793 OPS in 3986 Plate Appearances.

            Malone, 19, was the 33rd overall pick in the 2019 draft. In his professional debut in rookie league and for Low-A Hillsboro Malone had a 4.50 ERA with eight strikeouts in eight innings.

            Peguero, also 19, hit five home runs with 11 stolen bases, a .326 batting average and a .866 OPS in 249 Plate Appearances for Hillsboro and rookie league Missoula. In his minor league career Peguero has hit six home runs with 18 stolen bases and a .299 batting average plus a .781 OPS in 410 Plate Appearances.

          The St. Louis Cardinals have acquired OF Austin Dean from the Miami Marlins in exchange for OF Diowill Burgos.

           The Cardinals recently traded two right handed hitting outfielders in Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena to the Rays. Like them, Dean is a right handed hitter. However, he is not really a starting outfielder. Dean figures to be more of a 4th or 5th outfielder, and because he still has minor league options, he will likely be a part of the AAA-MLB shuttle. After breaking out in the minor leagues and making his MLB debut in 2018, Dean was a decent choice for a breakout season in 2019. However, he played in just 64 MLB games, and the numbers were more of the same from his weak 2018 stint. He once again had a great AAA season, but now he gets a new MLB chance. If Dean has a 2020 season similar to his 2019 and 2018 MLB seasons, it will be hard to not classify him as a AAAA player. The good news is that they do not give up much in Burgos.

            Dean, 26, had a .225 average with six home runs, 21 RBIs and a .665 OPS in 189 Plate Appearances in 2019. For AAA New Orleans he had a .337 batting average with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs (1.036 OPS) in 282 Plate Appearances. In his MLB career Dean has a .223 average with 10 home runs, 35 RBIs and a .656 OPS in 311 PA. In his AAA career he has a .331 average with 27 home runs, 111 RBIs and a .944 OPS in 640 PA.

           Burgos is much more of a longshot. A soon to be 19 year old, the Dominic Republic native still has not made it past rookie ball. He did have a good 2019, and could start 2020 in Single-A.

           Burgos, who will be 19 on January 29, had a .316 average with 11 home runs, 50 RBIs and a .999 OPS in 251 Plate Appearances. In his two year minor league career Burgos has a .263 average with 17 home runs, 81 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and a .841 OPS in 493 Plate Appearances.

From USA Today

       The Los Angeles Angels have acquired RHP Matt Andriese from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for RHP Jeremy Beasley.

     Andriese is one of those pitchers that can both start games and come out of the bullpen. However, 2019 was his first season in where he only did one of those things. Andriese made 54 appearances in 2019, all as a reliever. Coming up with the Rays in 2015, Andriese was mainly a starter but accumulated four saves in his first three seasons (he had another in 2019). In 2018, he was having his best season, with a 4.07 ERA in 59.2 innings before being traded to the Diamondbacks for Michael Perez and Brian Shaffer. He was terrible down the stretch, allowing 19 earned runs in 19 innings, raising his season ERA up to a career worst 5.26. In 2019, he had a 4.71 ERA, which is his second worst mark in his career. He finished 13 games for Arizona, but he is more of a middle reliever at best, or a long man. The Angels need starting pitching, so Andriese could start some games, maybe as an opener or a bulk guy. But while he has allowed a lot more runs in Arizona, Andriese did improve in some places. His 10.1 K/9 in 2019 (79 strikeouts in 70.2 innings) was a career high, but unfortunately, so was his 3.4 BB/9. Thanks to his career best K/9 and HR/9 (1.0), Andriese had a career best 3.72 FIP. The Angels will try to limit the walks, and that could lead to much better results. If Andriese walked only 15 batters compared to the 27 he did in 2019, everything else probably would have improved by a lot. As a reliever, he is not a bad bet.

      Andriese, 30, had a 4.71 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 70.2 innings in 2019. In his MLB career for the Diamondbacks and Rays, Andriese has a 4.58 ERA with 391 strikeouts in 428.2 innings.

      The Diamondbacks surprisingly got a decent prospect for Andriese. A middle reliever with an ERA over four and a half does not normally get you a top 30 prospect, but it did in Arizona\’s case. According to MLB Pipeline, Jeremy Beasley is now the Diamondbacks\’ 27th best prospect. A 30th round pick in 2017 from Clemson, Beasley has good minor league numbers as a starter. However, his 2019 numbers aren\’t impressive overall because of his 7.90 ERA in three AAA starts in his first taste of the highest minor league level. 2018 was a big year for Beasley, as he made his Single-A debut and ended the season in AA, finishing with a combined 2.66 ERA. His AA numbers were not as good in 2019, and he will likely start 2020 there.

        Beasley, 24, had a 4.49 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 122.1 innings for AA Mobile and AAA Salt Lake in 2019. He had a 4.06 ERA in 108.2 innings in Mobile alone. In his minor league career, Beasley has a 3.56 ERA with 256 strikeouts in 265.2 innings.

From Bleacher Report

          The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired OF Jose Martinez, OF Randy Arozarena and a competitive balance A draft pick from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for LHP Matthew Liberatore, C Edgardo Rodriguez and a competitive balance B draft pick.

           The trade can be a lot to unpack at first sight, especially with the draft picks. But the main roster player involved is Martinez. He can play the corner outfield spots as well as first base, and has always hit well. However, there was never a spot for him in the Cardinals outfield or at first base, and without the use of a designated hitter in the National League, he was used as a backup and pinch hitter. He has some power, but he has never hit 20 home runs in a season in his career. However, he is a terrible defender, with a career DRS of -28. That could be why he was such a late bloomer, playing in the White Sox, Braves and Royals organization before making his debut with the Cardinals in 2016. His main appeal is his ability to crush left handed pitching. In 2019, he hit .329 with five home runs and a .997 OPS in 78 Plate Appearances against southpaws. In his career, he has a .331 batting average, a .976 OPS and 15 home runs in 298 Plate Appearances. Overall, he has not struggled against righties, with a .288 batting average, but that was hurt dramatically in 2019, when he hit just .254 with a .685 OPS. His struggles against right handed pitching, his defense, his lack of a position on the team, his price going up and his age (31) all factored into making this trade for the Cardinals. The Rays could use a guy like Martinez, almost like a replacement to Tommy Pham, who was traded earlier this offseason to the Padres in a big deal that netted the Rays outfielder Hunter Renfroe and more. Martinez, like Pham, hits for average and has some power. However, the Rays will lack on the defensive side (which Renfroe brings).
             Arozarena is MLB ready, and could make the Rays to start the 2020 season, although it is unlikely. He made his MLB debut in 2019, appearing in just 19 games, and getting just 23 Plate Appearances. Arozarena had a really good minor league season, playing in AA and AAA, finishing with a combined OPS over 1.000. MLB Pipeline now ranks Arozarena as the 12th best prospect in a stacked Rays system. Also, the Rays move up roughly 30 draft spots in the next draft.
             They give up a top prospect in Liberatore, who MLB Pipeline ranks as the 41st best prospect in all of baseball, and the third best in the Cardinals system, behind Nolan Gorman (38th overall), who is good friends with Liberatore, as they were both 2018 first round draft picks from Arizona (different high schools). Even after parting with Liberatore, the Rays still have a great farm system, which includes the top prospect in the MLB, Wander Franco. The 12th best prospect, Brendan McKay, made his MLB debut in 2019, starting 11 games, and the Rays also have shortstop Vidal Brujan (39) ranking above Liberatore. This deal marks the second top 50 prospect in the MLB that the Rays have traded since the trade deadline, when Jesus Sanchez, then ranked the 42nd best prospect in the big leagues (he has since fallen to number 51), was dealt with flame-throwing opener Ryne Stanek to the Marlins for Nick Anderson and Trevor Richards.
              Rodriguez is a wild card in this trade. A 19 year old from Venezuela, he signed an amateur deal with the Rays in July of 2017. He has not played past the rookie league, and appeared in just 10 games in 2019.

              Martinez, 31, had a .269 batting average with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs and a .751 OPS in 373 Plate Appearances in 2019. In his MLB career, all in St. Louis, Martinez has a .298 batting average with 41 home runs, 172 RBIs and a .821 OPS in 1288 Plate Appearances.

             Arozarena, who will be 25 on Opening Day, went 6-for-20 (.300 batting average) with one home run, two RBIs and two stolen bases in his short stint with the Cardinals last season. For AA Springfield and AAA Memphis, Arozarena had a .344 batting average with 15 home runs, 53 RBIs,  17 stolen bases and a 1.003 OPS in 399 Plate Appearances.

              Liberatore, 20, pitched for Single-A Bowling Green in 2019, and finished with a 3.10 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 78.1 innings. In his minor league career the former 16th overall pick has a 2.59 ERA with 113 strikeouts in 111 innings.

             Rodriguez, 19, went 10-for-25 (.400 batting average) with no home runs and six RBIs for the rookie league Rays in 2019. In his two year minor league career Rodriguez has a .338 batting average with six home runs, 40 RBIs and a .885 OPS in 244 Plate Appearances.