The Royals announced that they’ve traded right-hander Brooks Pounders to the Angels in exchange for minor league righty Jared Ruxer. The move opens a spot on the Royals’ 40-man roster to make a selection in next week’s Rule 5 Draft, as MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan points out (on Twitter).
Pounders, 26, made his Major League debut this season but allowed 13 runs on 19 hits and three walks in 12 2/3 innings of work. He did pick up 13 strikeouts and average 92.6 mph on his fastball, and Pounders delivered solid results in his time at the Triple-A level. In 80 1/3 innings with Kansas City’s top affiliate in Omaha (seven starts, 24 relief appearances), Pounders notched a 3.14 ERA with 10.1 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 38.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’ll give the Halos a depth piece that has minor league options remaining to help out in the ’pen in the coming season.
Ruxer, meanwhile, was the Angels’ 12th-round pick in 2014. He split the 2016 season between the Class-A Midwest League and the Class-A Advanced California League, pitching to a combined 3.08 ERA with 8.0 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 45.7 percent ground-ball rate in 111 innings (19 starts, 10 relief appearances). Flanagan tweets that Ruxer had Tommy John surgery in his final season at Louisville in 2014 before being drafted, but Ruxer’s solid season certainly makes it seem as though he’s recovered nicely from the injury.
Meh
Better than trading for Brandon Phillips or signing one of the many crap free agents this offseason has to offer, and we are not contending
Like Jesse Chavez?
Chavez was cheap, I don’t understand all the hate. He is decent for the price.
True. Not exciting at all but it was a smart way to spend $6m. He’s a durable arm who’s versatility is a plus and who’s not far removed from being pretty effective
This move a meh on the impact scale. Hope to see some interesting Rule 5 selections from the Halos as well as a savy 2B move. Something like Danny Espinoza or Cory Spangenberg…
Have you seen him pitch ?
dude was in our division like 2 years ago…. So yes
How does this move have any correlation to a hypothetical, unrumored Brandon Phillips trade?
It’s bad enough that Pounders allowed 13 runs and 19 hits in 12.2 innings pitched, but that included 6 home runs. Yikes. I guess Pounders really did get pounded.
You really wanted to make that joke didn’t you lol
he did,
Yes. Yes, I did.
I don’t care if the guy can’t pitch – what a name.
Trade for tuffy gosewich and have that as a battery. Bam, guarenteed World Series
Absolutely. Tuffy crouches, the signal..Pounders with the pitch. That’s a tough pitch to lay off, he’s really pounding the zone here with two strikes.
Ohhhh make it happen people!
One of my favorite Kansas City games of the year featured this pitching trio – in order: Young-Wang-Pounders. Made me so happy.
Against Dickey too!
Clearly, the crucial 2nd step in setting up a trade of Trout. On the whiteboard in the Angels front office:
“Sign Chavez trade for Pounders trade Trout for prospects ???? = Success!”
This off season have the Angels added anyone to this team that is an up grade or any kind of game changer? In my opinion, no. The Angels need a name change to the Catfish. All the predators take and eat what they want, and the Angels clean up the bottom garbage that’s left over from the predators.
The Angels suffer from owner interference.
I concur GarryHarris.
Cool name.