CarterHud

From the Atheltic

        The Washington Nationals have acquired RHP Daniel Hudson from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Kyle Johnston.

         Hudson is a free agent after the year, and is having a bounce back year. He has been in a set-up role for Ken Giles, and has his lowest single season ERA since 2010, when he was a starter. He will improve a weak Nationals\’ pen.

         Hudson, 32, has a 3.00 ERA with 48 strikeouts and two saves in 48 innings for the Blue Jays this year. In his MLB career for the Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox, Hudson has a 3.92 ERA with 593 strikeouts and 11 saves in 667.2 innings.

         The Jays are rebuilding, and a pending free agent in Hudson doesn\’t help them. They get Johnston in return, the 27th best prospect in the Washington, per MLB Pipeline.

         Johnston, 23, has a 4.03 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 105 innings for High-A Potomac. In his minor league career, he has a 3.93 ERA with 229 strikeouts in 254.1 innings.

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.

        The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired 1B Jesus Aguilar from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for RHP Jake Faria.

         Aguilar was an all-star last year, with 35 home runs. He only has eight this year, and has been terrible. He does have a .298 July batting average, so he could get hot at the right time. The Rays already left handed hitting first basemen in Nate Lowe and former Brewer Ji-Man Choi, but Aguilar is a power bat, hitting right handed. Faria has been a starter in the past, but has been strictly a reliever this year.

        Aguilar, 29, has a .225 batting average with eight homers and 34 RBIs in 262 Plate Appearances this year. In his MLB career for the Brewers and Cleveland Indians, Aguilar has a .256 batting average with 59 homers and 199 RBIs in 1203 Plate Appearances.

        The Brewers end up trading Aguilar when his stock is low, which sucks. But they get Faria, a promising bullpen and rotation option who has been on the MLB/AAA shuttle many times this year. He turned 26 yesterday.

         Faria, 26, has a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 10 innings for the Rays this year. In his MLB career, all in Tampa Bay, Faria has a 4.18 ERA with 145 strikeouts in 161.2 innings.

        

From NBC Sports

       The Texas Rangers have acquired RHP Nate Jones and international signing pool bonus money from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHP Ray Castro and RHP Joe Jarneski.

       This trade is interesting, as Jones is out for the season, but he is controllable through 2021 with options. The main part in this is the international money, as they need to acquire $1.5 million to sign prospect Bayron Lora. They don\’t give up any top 30 prospects. Jones has been an effective reliever, but is always injured.

        Jones, 33, has a 3.48 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 10.1 innings this year. In his MLB career, all in Chicago, Jones has a 3.12 ERA with 318 strikeouts in 291.1 innings, along with nine saves.

        The White Sox have no use for Jones this year, and they might have just exercised the buyout clause in his contract after this year. They give up the money, but get two prospects in return.

         Castro, 22, has a 2.02 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 35.2 innings for the Dominican Summer League Rangers. In his minor league career he has a 2.21 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 101.2 innings.

         Jarneski, 19, has a 1.62 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 16.2 innings for the Arizona League Rangers. In two seasons for them, he has a 3.57 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 22.2 innings.

From Bleacher Report

        The Cincinnati Reds have acquired RHP Trevor Bauer from the Cleveland Indians in a three team trade with the San Diego Padres. The Reds trade OF Taylor Trammell to the Padres and OF Yasiel Puig and LHP Scott Moss to the Indians. The Padres trade LHP Logan Allen, OF Franmil Reyes and IF/LF Victor Nova to the Indians.

         The Reds aren\’t a playoff team at the moment, but Bauer could propel them there, though that seems unlikely, as the Reds are six games under .500 and 6.5 games back of the second wild card spot. The Reds might try to go for in it 2020, the last year Bauer is under team control. It is a confusing trade as the Reds also could lose Tanner Roark and Alex Wood in free agency, though a starting rotation front lined by Bauer, Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray is pretty good. It is a very hefty price to pay, but we\’ll see if Bauer is the ace he was last year.

          Bauer, 28, has a 3.79 ERA with 185 strikeouts in 156.2 innings for the Indians this year. In his MLB career for the Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks, Bauer has a 3.92 ERA with 1111 strikeouts in 1060.2 innings.

           The Indians are a playoff team right now, so this trade doesn\’t really make sense. Bauer\’s value is high right now, and he is yet to sign an extension, so they traded him instead. That leaves Mike Clevinger and Shane Bieber at the top of the rotation with Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco still out. This could hurt the Indians in their playoff run, though they get two outfielders with 20 homers already, plus Allen, the 98th best prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. Allen could appear for the Indians in the rotation and bullpen down the stretch. Nova is a low level prospect and Moss was the Reds\’ 12th best prospect.

             Puig, 28, has a .255 batting average with 22 homers, 60 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 400 Plate Appearances for the Reds this year. In his MLB career for the Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Puig has a .276 batting average with 130 homers, 391 RBIs and 73 stolen bases in 3165 Plate Appearances.

             Reyes, 24, has a .253 batting average with 27 homers and 46 RBIs in 349 Plate Appearances for the Padres this year. In his two year MLB career, Reyes has a .265 average with 43 homers and 77 RBIs in 634 Plate Appearances.

            Allen, 22, made his MLB debut this year, with a 6.75 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. He has a 5.15 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 57.2 innings in AAA El Paso.

            Moss, 24, has a 3.44 ERA with 123 strikeouts in 102 innings for AA Chattanooga this year. In his minor league career Moss has a 3.42 ERA with 420 strikeouts in 408 innings.

            Nova, 19, has a .330 batting average with one homer, 17 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 109 Plate Appearances for the Arizona League Padres. In his minor league career he has a .250 batting average with three homers, 34 RBIs and 14 stolen bases in 263 Plate Appearances.

            I don\’t love this trade for the Padres. Trammell is a big prospect, and was at the top of the Reds system, and ranked 30th in all of baseball. But he is having an underwhelming AA season and Reyes is a stud with 27 homers at age 24, and Allen still has a lot of potential. But scouts love Trammell so this could be a great trade for San Diego.

             Trammell, 21, has a .236 batting average with six homers, 33 RBIs and 17 stolen bases for AA Chattanooga this year. In his minor league career he has a .273 batting average with 29 home runs, 185 RBIs and 107 stolen bases in 1662 Plate Appearances.