The Phillies have traded outfielder Joey Curletta to the Mariners for ambidextrous reliever Pat Venditte, per an announcement from Philadelphia.
This is the second trade since last August involving the 31-year-old Venditte, whom Seattle acquired from Toronto for minor league infielder Tim Lopes. A 20th-round pick of the Yankees in 2008, Venditte debuted in the majors with the Athletics in 2015 and has since logged a 4.97 ERA, 7.46 K/9, 4.09 BB/9 and 36.2 percent ground-ball rate in 50 2/3 innings. Twenty-two of those frames came last year for Venditte, who ran up a 5.73 ERA between the Blue Jays and Mariners.
While he possesses the ultra-rare capability of being able to pitch with either arm, Venditte has been far more successful as a southpaw, having held left-handed hitters to a .179/.242/.366 line. Righty-swingers have handled him, evidenced by a .277/.380/.523 line. Currently pitching for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Venditte will join the Phillies as a non-roster player when the team is eliminated or the tournament ends, per Jayson Stark of ESPN (Twitter link).
Curletta, who turned 23 this past Monday, has also been involved in a pair of trades since last year. The Phillies acquired him from the Dodgers in September to complete the deal that featured catchers Carlos Ruiz and A.J. Ellis. The Dodgers chose Curletta in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, and he has since ascended to the Double-A level. Curletta struggled there last year, though, as he hit just .206/.280/.371 in 107 plate appearances.
Baseball America previously wrote that the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Curletta is a “physical monster” with “light-tower power” as a right-handed hitter. However, scouts have questioned whether he’ll hit in the big leagues, and BA noted that doesn’t provide any speed or defensive value. Curletta will now head to the Mariners’ minor league camp, tweets Greg Johns of MLB.com.
another Dipoto trade. This is like watching guys play fantasy baseball.
I could only imagine being in a Fantasy League with Dipoto, he’d probably be sitting there at home in the dark trying to figure out ways to get just about everyone in the league.
And he only does leagues where draft picks can be traded so he can play with 4x the number of assets he would have with a regular team.
I said it before he thinks he is in football and all the players need to be drafted or traded by him.
I thought we were getting faster and more athletic in the OF this doesn’t sound like it. But like others have said a long shot for a no shot.
I’ve never been in a league with as many trades – total – as DiPoto has made since joining the Ms.
Pretty good deal for the M’s, a flyer on a possible prospect for the novelty pitcher who isn’t really that good.
Mariners give up nothing for a guy who still has the potential to be something. Good deal, Venditte didn’t stand a chance of making the opening day bullpen with all of the young power arms they have
Venditte might playing for Italy, but his hero is Paul Revere, whose battlecry was “Two arms, two arms….”
He should just pitch left handed.
Left and right arms are easy. But can he throw with his feet??