[ad_1]
The Chicago Cubs began their clearance sale on the trade deadline. The club traded outfielder Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves for first baseman Bryce Ball, both teams said. Pederson will help replace Ronald Acuña Jr., who suffered a knee injury ending the season last weekend.
Pederson, 29, is hitting .230 / .300 / .418 with 11 home runs this season, including an unusually poor .218 / .285 / .442 against the righties. For his career, left-hander Pederson has a .236 / .343 / .495 hitting line against right-handed people and a weak .203 / .278 / .314 hitting line against left-handed people. He has spent most of his career in left field.
The Braves are currently without Acuña and also Marcell Ozuna, who has come out with a finger injury and is awaiting an investigation under the MLB domestic violence policy. After Acuña’s injury, Atlanta was considering a combination of Ehire Adrianza, Abraham Almonte, Orlando Arcia, Guillermo Heredia and Ender Inciarte in the outfield.
Atlanta entered the All-Star break 44-45 – they haven’t gone a single day over 0.500 this season – and they’re four games behind the Mets in the NL East. Because the Dodgers, Giants and Padres are so good, the division title is probably the only way the Braves can reach the playoffs. The joker is not a back-up plan.
The Cubs have lost 19 of their last 25 games to retire from the NL Central race. They were expected to sell on the deadline and the Pederson transaction confirms that will happen. Free agents like Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Kyle Davies and Craig Kimbrel are most likely to move before July 30.
Ball, 23, is hitting .207 / .354 / .396 with six homers in 53 high-class-A games this season. Our RJ Anderson listed him as a prospect to know in the Atlanta system heading into the season, saying “his ability to walk and bop should give him a shot at a big league future. , and perhaps noticeable to that “.
Pederson still owes about $ 2.2 million of his $ 4.5 million salary this season. He will receive an additional $ 2.5 million if the Braves decline his mutual option of $ 10 million after the season, which they should do.
[ad_2]
Source link