Orioles acquire Trumbo, A's obtain Alonso and Rzepczynski
NEW YORK (AP) Baltimore added a bat as protection in case it loses Chris Davis, acquiring power-hitting Mark Trumbo and left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser from Seattle on Wednesday for catcher Steve Clevenger.
In another deal ahead of the midnight EST deadline to offer contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters, Oakland obtained first baseman Yonder Alonso and left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from San Diego for left-handers Drew Pomeranz and Jose Torres plus a player to be named.
Trumbo is an outfielder, first baseman and possible designated hitter. He batted .262 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs in 142 games this year with Arizona and the Mariners, who wanted to shed his expected salary of about $9 million.
''The addition of a proven major league hitter like Mark Trumbo today lengthens our lineup,'' Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said.
Baltimore will be the 29-year-old Trumbo's fourth team since 2013, when current Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto traded him from the Los Angeles Angels to the Diamondbacks. Trumbo averaged more than 30 home runs and 90 RBIs from 2011-13 with the Angels.
''I was aware that I was in the position that this might well happen,'' Trumbo said. ''There were a few teams that were mentioned before, but to be honest, the Orioles weren't one that I had heard, at all.''
Trumbo can become a free agent after next season. Davis, who led the major leagues with 47 homers this year, became a free agent last month.
Alonso batted .282 with five home runs and 31 RBIs this year. He was on the disabled list from May 9 to June 1 with a bone bruise in his right shoulder and Sept. 14 through the end of the season with a lower back strain.
''One of, if not the best, defensive first basemen in the game,'' Oakland general manager David Forst said. ''Obviously the knock on him is he doesn't profile the power of a first baseman, but still a very productive offensive player, high contact rate, low walk-to-strikeout rate, a guy who's a professional hitter. Excited to have him under control for a couple years.''
Pomeranz had surgery on his pitching shoulder in October and is expected to be ready by spring training. He was 5-6 with three saves and a 3.66 ERA in a career-high 53 appearances (nine starts) spanning 86 innings for the A's in 2015.
In addition, the Padres announced they hired Mark McGwire as bench coach.
Ahead of its $217 million, seven-year contract with left-hander David Price, a deal likely to be completed Friday, Boston finalized a $13 million, two-year agreement with right-handed-hitting outfielder Chris Young.
''I feel good about the roster as it is. I think we've been able to address really our biggest needs,'' new Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said. ''I think our major moves are done. But when you go into the winter meetings, you never know what happens.''
Young, 32, had been with the New York Yankees since August 2014, batting .252 with 14 homers and 42 RBIs in 318 at-bats this year. He hit .327 against left-handers this season; with its 37-foot-high Green Monster just 310 feet from the plate in left field, Fenway Park seems ideal for his swing.
''One of my major strengths is pulling the ball. I think that Fenway can be advantageous to that,'' Young said. ''Hopefully, my just-misses, I can get rewarded for that.''
Seattle agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Nori Aoki, according to two people with knowledge of the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because it has not been finalized. Aoki was limited to 93 games with San Francisco this year due to a broken right leg and a severe concussion in the second half of the season.
Seattle also agreed to a $750,000 deal with reliever Justin De Fratus, who became a free agent after the season rather than accept an outright assignment to the minors by the Phillies. Philadelphia claimed outfielder Peter Bourjos off waivers from St. Louis, and Kansas City acquired backup catcher Tony Cruz from St. Louis for infielder Jose Martinez.
Veteran infielder Gordon Beckham, an Atlanta native and former University of Georgia standout, agreed to a $1.25 million, one-year contract with the Braves, pending a physical.
Cleveland acquired outfielder Collin Cowgill from the Los Angeles Angels for cash. Cowngill missed about half this past season because of a sprained right wrist and he hit .188 in 69 at-bats.
There were 206 players eligible for arbitration at the start of the day. Any player offered a contract is entitled to, at a minimum, roughly one-sixth of his 2016 salary as termination pay if he gets released.
Among those who became free agents when they were not offered contracts were injured Kansas City closer Greg Holland; Oakland first baseman Ike Davis; San Francisco pitcher Yusmeiro Petit; Angels reliever Cesar Ramos; Detroit right-handers Neftali Feliz and Al Alburquerque; White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers and right-hander Jacob Turner; and Cincinnati right-hander Ryan Mattheus.
Oakland agreed to one-year deals with four arbitration-eligible players: Rzepczynski, left-hander Felix Doubront ($2 million), infielder Eric Sogard and outfielder Sam Fuld.
Other arbitration-eligible players who agreed to one-year deals were Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis ($4.5 million), Toronto first baseman Justin Smoak ($3.9 million), Baltimore right-hander Vance Worley ($2.6 million), Cubs left-hander Rex Brothers ($1.42 million), Baltimore outfielder Nolan Reimold ($1.3 million) and Washington first baseman Tyler Moore ($900,000).
