Headed for L.A….
With MLB’s non-waiver trade deadline on Tuesday many deals are expected to take place over the weekend. For teams needing starting pitching help Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Zack Greinke was the top option available, thanks to the Philadelphia Phillies agreeing to a six-year $144 million extension with pending free agent Cole Hamels. Manager Davey Johnson and his Washington Nationals play the Brewers this weekend and didn’t expect to face Greinke on Sunday, his next schedule start. It turns out he was right.
Again, @jonmorosi and I are reporting that #Brewers are sending Greinke to #Angels for SS Jean Segura and two Double A pitchers. Done deal.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 27, 2012
Greinke, 28, is 9-3 this season with a 3.44 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 123 innings. His lone All-Star appearance came in 2009 when he was also named the American League’s Cy Young Award winner, going 16-8 with 242 strikeouts and a Major League leading 2.16 ERA with the Kansas City Royals.
The Angels will now boast a starting rotation that, in addition to Greinke, includes Cy Young Award candidate Jered Weaver, offseason free agent signing C.J. Wilson, and Dan Haren. With Los Angeles just five games back of the Rangers in the AL West, and currently sitting atop the wildcard standings, should they make the postseason they will do so with perhaps the top group of starting pitchers.
With the Brewers not able to agree to a contract extension with the free agent-to-be trading him was the logical choice. In shortstop Jean Segura they receive a prospect rated #55 by Baseball America heading into 2012 who has hit .294 with 50 runs, 7 home runs, 40 RBI, and 33 stolen bases this season in 94 games at Double-A.
