D'Backs Trade Greinke to Astros & Other Deadline Deals

This afternoon began with Zack Greinke at Yankee Stadium starting for the Arizona Diamondbacks.


Five innings later, the D'Backs trade Greinke to the Houston Astros for 1B/OF Seth Beer, RHP Corbin Martin, RHP J.B. Bukauskas, and INF/OF Josh Rojas. The bulk of Greinke's outstanding $100 million plus salary will be paid for by the Astros with whom he is under contract through 2021. At the time of the trade, Greinke had compiled a 10-4 record with a 2.90 ERA in 23 starts this season with Arizona.


Greinke, 35, is three wins away from the 200 mark for his career. Earlier this season, Greinke struck out his 2,500th batter. Over his 16 seasons in the big leagues which began with the Kansas City Royals along with stops with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and the D'Backs, Greinke has earned six All-Star team selections, won five Gold Gloves and earned the AL Cy Young Award in 2009. A World Series ring has eluded him. That could change.


Greinke joins a rotation that includes fellow Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Wade Miley as well as Aaron Sanchez who the Astros acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays along with reliever Joe Biagini. Perhaps being surrounded by Greinke, Verlander, Cole and Miley will help Sanchez improve his ghastly 3-14 record and 6.07 ERA and regain the form which led the AL in ERA in 2016. Not to be outdone, the Astros also reacquired catcher Martin Maldonado from the Chicago Cubs for outfielder Tony Kemp. Maldonado had been acquired by the Cubs earlier this month from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for pitcher Mike Montgomery.


While the D'Backs lose Greinke they do gain Mike Leake whom they acquired from the Seattle Mariners. The Washington Nationals picked up a trio of relievers - Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland from the Mariners and Daniel Hudson from the Jays. The Atlanta Braves bolstered their bullpen with the addition of Shane Greene from the Detroit Tigers and Mark Melancon from the San Francisco Giants. The Tampa Bay Rays obtained struggling first baseman Jesus Aguilar from the Milwaukee Brewers for reliever Jake Faria. The Brewers also landed starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz from the San Francisco Giants. The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired infielder Jed Gyorko from the St. Louis Cardinals for reliever Tony Cingrani. The Cubs landed third baseman Nicholas Castellanos from the Detroit Tigers while the Giants acquired Scooter Gennett from the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds traded starting pitcher Tanner Roark to the Oakland A's. The Philadelphia Phillies acquired outfielder Corey Dickerson from the Pittsburgh Pirates while the Minnesota Twins obtained reliever Sam Dyson from the Giants. You can read the fine print here.