New York Yankees' Carlos Beltran. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
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Sellers for the first time since 1989, the New York Yankees sent veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran to the Texas Rangers on Monday for a trio of minor leaguers.
The Yankees have obtained seven prospects from the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs in deals for left-handed relievers Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman. In the trade involving Beltran, New York acquired Dillon Tate, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft, in addition to fellow right-handers Erik Swanson and Nick Green.
Beltran has been the most consistent hitter for an offense that has struggled for most of the season. In the final campaign of a three-year, $45 million deal, the 39-year-old switch hitter is batting .304 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in 99 games with the Yankees.
New York, which has debated about being sellers and buyers for most of the season, has dropped four in a row after winning 11 of 16 games. The Yankees (52-52) are seven games out of first place in the American League East.
Beltran has batted .281 with 414 home runs in 1,507 regular-season games with Kansas City, Houston, the New York Mets, San Francisco, St. Louis and Yankees. He also has been an elite postseason performer, producing a .332 average with 16 home runs and 40 RBIs in 52 games.
Beltran likely will spend most of his time at designated hitter for Texas. The Rangers recently lost Prince Fielder to a season-ending neck injury and Beltran is expected to help a team with a six-game lead in the AL West.
This is the third time Beltran has been traded during a season.
The Royals traded him to Houston in advance of his free agency in June 2004 and seven years later, the Mets dealt him to the Giants for Zach Wheeler.
After getting top prospects Gleybar Torres and Clint Frazier in the deals for Chapman and Miller, the Yankees are obtaining someone who has struggled after being a top-100 prospect this season.
With Single-A Hickory, Tate is 3-3 with a 5.12 ERA in 17 starts.
Swanson, 22, posted a 6-4 mark with one save and a 3.43 ERA in 19 games with Hickory.
The 21-year-old Green owns a 2-2 record and 4.98 ERA in seven starts with short-season Single-A Spokane.
