The Astros have acquired right-hander Austin Pruitt from the Rays in exchange for outfielder Cal Stevenson and righty Peyton Battenfield, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Robert Murray first reported Stevenson was headed to the Rays. This is the second trade of Thursday night for the Rays, who previously swung a major deal with the Cardinals.
As the only player with major league experience in this trade, Pruitt’s the headliner. He’s also a Texas native, making this deal a homecoming of sorts. The 30-year-old saw action with the Rays in each season from 2017-19, though preventing runs was difficult for him. Pruitt posted a 4.87 ERA (with a much better 4.17 FIP) and recorded 6.63 K/9, 2.25 BB/9 and a 48.9 percent groundball rate over 199 2/3 innings. However, he ranked near the top of the majors in spin rate last year, and that’s something the Astros are known to greatly value.
Most of Pruitt’s major league work has come as a reliever so far, but the ninth-round pick from 2013 was once a full-time starter in the minors. And Pruitt could return to a rotation in the majors this year, as Astros president of baseball operations/general manager Jeff Luhnow told reporters (including McTaggart) that they intend “to give him a chance” to earn a rotation spot entering 2020. Unlike in the previous couple seasons, the Astros’ rotation has some question marks. Sure, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke are great, but Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley are gone, and Lance McCullers Jr. is returning from Tommy John surgery. Brad Peacock and the relatively unproven Jose Urquidy could be the front-runners for the four and five positions in Houston’s starting staff.
The 23-year-old Stevenson didn’t last long with the Astros, who acquired him from the Blue Jays last July in a trade centering on right-hander Aaron Sanchez. Stevenson had a productive year at the High-A level between the two teams, as he slashed .288/.388/.384 with five home runs across 490 plate appearances.
A 10th-round pick of the Jays in 2018, FanGraphs’ Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen ranked Stevenson as the Astros’ 39th-best prospect earlier this week, citing his “great contact and on base skills.” Stevenson has a chance to amount to a fourth outfielder, according to McDaniel and Longenhagen.
Battenfield, 22, was a ninth-round draft selection last summer. He amassed 39 1/3 innings with the Astros’ low-A affiliate in 2019 and fared quite well, putting up a 1.60 ERA/2.21 FIP with 10.53 K/9 against 3.43 BB/9.
Those dudes just don’t stop with the acquisitions. Always trying to gain an edge no matter how big or seemingly insignificant, it just doesn’t matter, they push the envelope and I give their front office full kudos…
Do you mean the Rays or the Astros?
Both! The Rays make a scrap pile into a contender every year. The Astros turn okay pitchers into Cy Young candidates. Heck, Wade Miley looked incredible most of last year.
J-Mart to the Astros.
TRADN SZN is underway
In the rare event that you aren’t tossing around Blowhard statements your posts are still cringe-worthy.
.
For this dandy I give you the award for:
Commenting like a teenage girl.
For Austin Pruitt.
Needed the 40 man space for the dudes from St Louis
Rays needed to clear a 40 man spot & Pruitt is currently without a definite roster spot. Rays acquired 2 prospects that don’t require a 40 man spot.
Pruitt won’t be missed. He shouldn’t have been on the major-league roster last season anyway. There is one pitching acquisition that the Tampa Bay rays need above anything else. It’s not even close. The Tampa Bay rays need to pick up… Health! If Snell, Glasgow, and Chirinos hasn’t all gotten hurt last season, Pruitt spends the season in AAA
Would love to finally see a healthy Honeywell too. Long overdue to see him in the majors
Got a few good arms coming back from tjs should be interesting if everyone can stay healthy.
Brent Strom, the Astros pitching coach, will probably mold Pruitt into an All-Star pitcher like he did with Cole and Charlie Morton.
Have you looked at Pruitt’s AAA numbers ? Not so sure he belonged there either.
Like it for the Rays. Pruitt seemed redundant, a la Faria
Yet another under the radar deal for Tampa that will probably work in their favor yet again. The potential prize here is Battenfield who was dominant in his first season of pro ball, albeit at the low A level. Pitched 40 innings, had a WHIP under 1.00 and didn’t allow any HRs along with a sub 1.70 ERA. Watch Tampa turn him into the next Delin Betances.
High spin rate, going to the Astros…yep he will win the 2020 Cy Young award. Joking, but their pitching coach is the best in the game and I wouldn’t be surprised if he proves valuable in 2020.
Just watch Stromi turn Pruitt into the next Cole, Morton, or Miley (pre-September).
Watch Pruitts line with the Astros is gonna be 2.7era 15 K/9 and 1.02 whip next year lol
wow, talk about turning nothing into something. really couldn’t do better, Stros?
How often do they make bad trades? Just look at Cole and Alvarez.
I liked the guy’s competitiveness and attitude, but I couldn’t help thinking “ugh…. Pruitt’s pitching?” every time he came in. He’ll be a long reliever at best, especially in that rotation. I’m glad he gets to go home and we get rid of another weakness on the 40.