Rockies Acquire Matt Lindstrom

The Rockies have acquired Matt Lindstrom from the Astros in exchange for minor league pitchers Jonnathan Aristil and Wes Musick, according to a Houston team press release. 

Lindstrom, 31 in February, posted a 4.39 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and 23 saves in his first season as an Astro. He logged 53 1/3 innings and posted a 48.9 % ground ball rate.  This marks the second consecutive offseason (third time overall) that Lindstrom has been traded; the Mets sent him to the Marlins in 2006 and the Marlins sent him to the Astros just over a year ago. 

Lindstrom earned $1.625MM in 2010 and will make over $2MM through arbitration next year. He's under team control through 2012.  The right-hander joins Huston Street, Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt at the back of the Rockies' 'pen. This addition could limit the Rockies' interest in David Aardsma, Jon Rauch, Chad Qualls, Todd Coffey and Matt Guerrier.

Aristil, 24, was an infielder when he signed a free agent contract with Colorado in 2003.  Since converting to pitching in 2006, the right-hander has posted a 4.47 ERA in 113 appearances, 53 of them starts and just 12 of which came above the Single-A level.

Musick, 23, is a left-hander whom the Astros originally drafted in the 46th round of the 2005 draft, but Musick chose to attend the University of Houston instead.  Picked by the Rockies in the ninth round of the 2009 draft, Musick has posted impressive numbers in his first two pro seasons — a 3.78 ERA, 8.5 K/9 rate, a 2.1 BB/9 rate and an even 4.00 K/BB ratio in 30 games (28 of them starts).

MLB.com's Thomas Harding was the first to report that Lindstrom was on his way to Colorado, while ESPN.com's Buster Olney reported earlier this afternoon that the Astros were nearing a deal for the reliever.  Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle was the first to report Musick's inclusion in the deal, while Astros director of social media Alyson Footer tweeted the news about Aristil.

MLBTR's Mark Polishuk contributed to this post