- Trail Blazers Acquire Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara in Three Team Trade With Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns NBA.com
- Deandre Ayton trade reaction: Suns include star in Damian Lillard deal with Bucks, Blazers Yahoo Sports
- Charles Barkley still has Phoenix Suns one of the favorites in West even after Deandre Ayton trade The Arizona Republic
- Opinion: The Suns Downgraded by Trading Ayton for Nurkic Burn City Sports
- Oft-injured Boston Celtics big ‘as good as it gets’ in trade of ex-No. 1 overall pick Hardwood Houdini
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Tag Archives: acquire
2023 MLB trade deadline: Marlins acquire Josh Bell, Ryan Weathers in last-minute deals – CBS Sports
- 2023 MLB trade deadline: Marlins acquire Josh Bell, Ryan Weathers in last-minute deals CBS Sports
- Cubs Reportedly Trade Adrian Sampson, Manny Rodriguez, and IFA Money to the Rays for Josh Roberson bleachernation.com
- Marlins Acquire Josh Bell; Guardians Receive Kahlil Watson, Will Release Jean Segura MLB Trade Rumors
- Marlins swing two more trades, getting Josh Bell from Cleveland, Ryan Weathers from Padres Miami Herald
- Rays acquire RHPs Adrian Sampson, Manuel Rodrguez from Cubs, add C Alex Jackson from Brewers The Washington Post
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Pat Leonard: What the Jets should give up to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers – New York Daily News
- Pat Leonard: What the Jets should give up to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers New York Daily News
- HC Robert Saleh: To have a guy like Aaron Rodgers want to play for Jets ‘shows how far we’ve come’ NFL.com
- Aaron Rodgers trade buzz: Allen Lazard says QB is ‘big reason’ he chose Jets, has ‘no worry’ deal won’t happen CBS Sports
- New York Jets News: Free agent Calais Campbell to visit with Jets Gang Green Nation
- ESPN’s Packers Insider Rob Demovsky Talks Aaron Rodgers-Jets Trade with Rich Eisen | Full Interview The Rich Eisen Show
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Binance.US Can Move Ahead With Plan to Acquire Voyager Digital’s Assets, Judge Rules – CoinDesk
- Binance.US Can Move Ahead With Plan to Acquire Voyager Digital’s Assets, Judge Rules CoinDesk
- US Judge Approves $1,300,000,000 Binance.US Deal With Voyager After Dismissing SEC Objections The Daily Hodl
- Binance.US Takes Over Voyager’s Assets With Judge’s Approval TheStreet
- SEC dealt blow as Judge clears Binance.US to buy Bankrupt Voyager Digital Assets – Will this affect Ripple and Binance securities case? Crypto News Flash
- Binance.US Can Proceed With Plan to Acquire Voyager Digital’s Assets, Judge Rules CoinDesk
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Orioles Acquire Cole Irvin From A’s
The Orioles have acquired left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin in a trade with the Athletics, per announcements from both clubs. Right-handed pitching prospect Kyle Virbitsky will also head to Baltimore while infield prospect Darell Hernaiz is heading to the A’s.
On one hand, this move comes as a surprise, since there had been no previous indication the A’s were shopping Irvin or that they were talking to the Orioles. On the other hand, it’s not shocking to see the club continue tearing down the roster, since they’ve been aggressively committed to that path for the past year. Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Sean Manaea and Chris Bassitt were all traded just before the 2022 campaign, while Frankie Montas was dealt midseason and Sean Murphy this winter.
With the club seemingly willing to strip the roster down to the studs, any established Oakland player is at least a speculative trade candidate. There was no real rush to move Irvin, since he still had four years of club control remaining, but he will qualify for arbitration at the end of this season and would start to make a more significant salary. It appears that they received an offer they liked enough to pull the ripcord early and jettison Irvin from the roster in yet another future-focused move.
The Orioles have been looking for rotation upgrades all winter and were reportedly still on the hunt earlier this week. They haven’t been running out huge payrolls in recent years so Irvin’s low salary and years of cheap control were surely appealing to them. They made one modest upgrade to their rotation this offseason by signing veteran Kyle Gibson to a one-year, $10MM deal but have otherwise been quiet until today. Irvin will quickly become the club’s second-most experienced starter behind Gibson.
Irvin, 29 next week, was a Phillies’ draftee and made his MLB debut with them. He made 19 appearances over 2019 and 2020 but with a bloated 6.75 ERA in that time. But his minor league results were much better and the A’s took a shot by sending cash considerations to Philadelphia to get him. The change of scenery went very well for him, as he made 62 starts over the past two seasons with a 4.11 ERA over 359 1/3 innings.
This new change of scenery will have risk for the O’s, though. Irvin has succeeded in Oakland over the past couple of years with a low-strikeout, pitch-to-contact approach. He’s only walked 5.2% of the batters he’s faced over those two campaigns, which is a very strong number. For reference, the league average for starters last year was 7.5%. But he’s only punched out hitters at a 16.8% rate for Oakland, well below last year’s 21.6% league average. His 37.6% ground ball over that span was also a bit below par. That kind of profile has worked for him in the pitcher-friendly confines of Oakland Coliseum but might not be as effective in different conditions. It’s perhaps notable that Irvin has posted a 3.44 ERA at home over the past two years but a 4.88 mark outside of Oakland.
The O’s are apparently undeterred by those splits and have added Irvin to their starting mix, where he and Gibson should take two of the spots. The rest of the rotation will be less certain, with options like Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Tyler Wells, Bruce Zimmermann, Mike Baumann and Spenser Watkins on the 40-man. Each of those guys have a bit of MLB experience but inconsistent results have prevented them from truly establishing themselves as big leaguers. There’s also Grayson Rodriguez, who is considered one of the best pitching prospects in the sport but he’s yet to make his MLB debut and missed most of last year due to a lat strain. John Means could be a factor down the line but likely not until midseason due to undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of last year. It’s a group with a lot of unknowns but the club will hope to get some reliability out of Irvin and Gibson while they sort through the rest and see who separates themselves from the pack. In addition to Irvin, the O’s will add Virbitsky to their system. The 24-year-old was a 17th round draft pick in 2021. He posted a 4.63 ERA last year between Class-A and High-A, striking out 25.7% of batters faced while walking 5.5%. He’ll add some starting depth to the lower levels of their system.
By letting go of Irvin and Virbitsky, the A’s are adding an intriguing young player in Hernaiz. The 21-year-old was a fifth-round selection of the O’s in 2019. Baseball America ranked him the #25 Orioles prospect going into 2020, highlighting his athleticism but noting that the lack of power could be an issue for him. That seems to have played out in his minor league time so far. After the minors were canceled in 2020, Hernaiz spent 2021 in Class-A, hitting six home runs in 94 games. He did steal 22 bases but his .277/.333/.358 batting line was a bit below average, with his wRC+ coming in at 92. In 2022, he shot up three levels, going from Class-A to High-A and Double-A. He got into 105 games between those three levels and stole 32 bases with 12 home runs. His combined batting line of .273/.341/.438 resulted in a 112 wRC+. He’s split his time between second base, third base and shortstop and will slot into Oakland’s infield prospect mix. He struggled in his first 13 Double-A games and will likely head back to that level to start this season. He’ll be Rule 5 eligible at the end of the upcoming season.
The O’s have plenty of infield prospects, with the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo, Joey Ortiz, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg and Connor Norby some of the exciting youngsters in the system. It seems they felt they could part with Hernaiz and still be in good shape there, whereas the A’s have continued to bolster their farm by subtracting from their major league club. Without Irvin, their rotation will consist of offseason signees Shintaro Fujinami and Drew Rucinski, incumbents Paul Blackburn and James Kaprielian, as well as a huge pile of unestablished options who will be jockeying for playing time as the season rolls along.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the deal before the official announcement (Twitter links).
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Red Sox acquire Adalberto Mondesi in trade with Royals
The Boston Red Sox acquired shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals for left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on Tuesday, providing middle-infield depth to buttress losses this winter to free agency and injury.
The 27-year-old Mondesi, whose star-level tools made him a top prospect but whose inability to stay healthy has limited him to 358 games in seven seasons, is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee. Boston lost shortstop Xander Bogaerts to the San Diego Padres and second baseman Trevor Story to internal bracing surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, leaving a significant middle-infield gap.
Enrique Hernandez, who has played center field for the Red Sox over the past two seasons, is expected to take over at shortstop, where he has played 100 career games. Mondesi has spent most of his career at shortstop, though he has dabbled at second and third base in the past. He will make $3.045 million this season.
Kansas City once saw Mondesi as a foundational player in its rebuild, and he looked the part in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, hitting for power and stealing 75 bases with his elite speed. For him to be packaged with a player to be named later and return only a reliever illustrates how far Mondesi’s stock has fallen. Over his seven seasons, Mondesi’s career line is .244/.280/.408 with 38 home runs and 133 stolen bases.
Taylor, 29, has been effective in his two full seasons with the Red Sox but missed all of 2022 with a back injury. In 2021, he struck out 60 in 47⅔ innings, walked 23 and allowed only two home runs. Taylor, who has thrown multiple bullpen sessions recently and is expected to be healthy in time for spring training, will join Aroldis Chapman — who recently signed a one-year, $3.25 million deal — Amir Garrett and perhaps Angel Zerpa as left-handers in the Royals’ bullpen.
Kansas City might not be done dealing, either. Earlier in the week, it traded center fielder Michael A. Taylor to Minnesota, and sources told ESPN the Royals have spoken with teams about utilityman Hunter Dozier — who’s owed $17.25 million over the next two seasons — and infielder Nicky Lopez, who had a WAR of 4.2 in 2021.
Twins To Acquire Michael A. Taylor From Royals
6:00pm: Left-hander Evan Sisk and righty Steven Cruz are headed back to Kansas City, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link).
5:58pm: The Twins are acquiring center fielder Michael A. Taylor in a trade with the Royals, according to Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. He’ll add a high-end defensive option behind Byron Buxton as a fourth outfielder in Minnesota.
Taylor has spent the past two years in Kansas City. Initially signed to a one-year, $1.75MM guarantee over the 2020-21 offseason, Taylor impressed Royals’ brass with his excellent outfield defense. The rangy center fielder proved a perfect fit for spacious Kauffman Stadium and an organization that places a premium on defense. He secured his first career Gold Glove in 2021 and earned himself a $9MM extension covering the 2022-23 campaigns late in that season.
During the first season of that new two-year deal, Taylor continued his typically excellent defensive play. He logged just over 1000 innings of center field work, with Defensive Runs Saved pegging him as 19 runs better than an average defender at the outfield’s most demanding position. It was the second consecutive year in which DRS graded him at +19 runs, making him far and away the game’s most valuable defensive outfielder by that metric. Since the start of 2021, no other center fielder has tallied more than 21 total DRS — with second-place Myles Straw well behind Taylor’s cumulative +38 mark.
Statcast wasn’t quite as enthusiastic with Taylor’s work last season, though it also rated him as an above-average center fielder. Its Outs Above Average metric put Taylor at +5 runs last year after rating him 14 runs above average the previous season. Straw narrowly edges him out over the two-year stretch by that measure, but Taylor still checks in second at the position going back to the start of the ’21 season.
Buxton, of course, is one of the few outfielders in the game who’s as good or better than Taylor defensively. He hasn’t the same opportunity to vault to the top of the league in cumulative defensive metrics, however, as injuries have kept him off the field a fair amount the last couple seasons. Buxton has played 955 center field innings over the past two years, fewer than Taylor has reached in each individual season. He’s suffered strains in his right hip in each of the last couple seasons and missed a couple months in the second half of 2021 after fracturing his left hand on a hit-by-pitch. Buxton also played through a right knee injury last season, one that required season-ending surgical repair once the Twins fell out of playoff contention.
The All-Star outfielder shows MVP-caliber upside when healthy and will obviously remain Minnesota’s starting center fielder. He’s only once topped 100 games in a season, however, so it’s understandable the Twins want to fortify their outfield depth behind him. Gilberto Celestino was the top reserve option last year, but he hit only .238/.313/.302 with a pair of home runs in 347 trips to the plate. Celestino is a quality defender but not at Taylor’s level. With a minor league option year still remaining, the 23-year-old could open the season in Triple-A St. Paul now that he’s been jumped on the depth chart.
Right fielder Max Kepler is athletic enough to handle center field if needed, though there’s no guarantee he’ll even be on the roster come Opening Day. Minnesota has a number of left-handed hitting outfielders on the roster, raising the possibility of them dealing from that group to address other areas like first base or the bullpen. Kepler, as the oldest player in the group and the one with the least amount of remaining club control, would be the most straightforward candidate for such a move.
The Twins traded for an outfielder in spite of that seeming surplus, though Taylor’s right-handed bat will help to balance things. He’s posted below-average overall offensive numbers throughout his career, carrying a .241/.296/.381 line over parts of nine big league seasons. Aside from a solid .271/.320/.486 showing with the Nationals in 2017, he’s been a subpar hitter in every year of his career. That has been the case regardless of pitcher handedness, though he’s predictably been a little better when holding the platoon advantage. Taylor carries a .257/.310/.412 career line against left-handed pitching, compared to a .235/.290/.369 mark against righties.
Strikeouts have been the primary issue for the 31-year-old. He’s punched out in 29.4% of his career trips to the plate while walking at a meager 6.9% rate. To his credit, Taylor did take a bit of a step forward in that department last season. His 23.9% strikeout rate last year was a personal low, only a couple percentage points higher than the league mark. He seemed to sacrifice a little in the way of impact to do so, with last season’s 32.3% hard contact rate representing the lowest figure of his career.
Taylor obviously won’t be counted upon to provide much of an offensive jolt. He brings some lineup balance, joining Celestino as the only righty-swinging outfielders on the 40-man roster. More importantly, he’ll offer manager Rocco Baldelli a quality defensive option either off the bench or if needed in the event Buxton misses time.
It’s an affordable addition for the Twins, who’ll assume the $4.5MM Taylor’s due during the upcoming season before hitting free agency at the end of the year. That brings Minnesota’s projected payroll up to $155MM, as calculated by Roster Resource. That’ll be a franchise-record mark, with the club opening last year in the $134MM range. The Twins had been fairly quiet this offseason until the calendar flipped to 2023, but they’ve re-signed Carlos Correa, flipped Luis Arraez for Pablo López and prospects and now brought in Taylor within a matter of weeks. Minnesota figures to continue to scour the market for upgrades, at least around the margins, as they battle the Guardians and White Sox in the AL Central.
The Royals, meanwhile, ship away a veteran for future help on the heels of a 65-win season. Taylor looked like one of the better trade candidates on the roster as an impending free agent. Kansas City set a fairly significant ask initially, reportedly targeting right-hander Josh Winder in initial talks with the Twins. Minnesota balked and the sides eventually pivoted to a pair of minor leaguers.
More to come.
Sparks acquire Dearica Hamby from Aces for rights to Amanda Zahui B.
The Las Vegas Aces traded Dearica Hamby to the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday, a somewhat surprising move that removes a core player from the Aces’ 2022 WNBA championship team who had recently signed a contract extension through 2024.
The Sparks also receive the Aces’ 2024 first-round pick in exchange for the negotiating rights to Amanda Zahui B., and the Sparks’ 2024 second-round pick.
Hamby spent her entire career with the Las Vegas Aces/San Antonio Stars’ organization since being drafted from Wake Forest in 2015 and has been an All-Star the past two seasons. She was named WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year in 2019 and 2020.
She has career averages of 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 85 starts.
“Dearica has dedicated eight years of her career to this organization, and played a big role in our success since the team moved to Las Vegas,” Aces general manager Natalie Williams said in a statement. “We’re going to miss her as a teammate, and are grateful for all of her contributions to the Aces over the years.”
Sparks general manager Karen Bryant said, “Adding Dearica to our roster plus a future first-round pick was a solid move for us. We’re excited to have another key piece in place as we start free agency.”
In June, the Aces announced the had signed Hamby to a two-year contract extension. But there were signs that something might be amiss this week when Hamby — who during the Aces’ victory parade announced she is pregnant — tweeted, “Imagine expressing your fears as a woman and being pregnant in this profession/world…. Then to be reassured that you were supported.. and your back was “had”…. only to then be used against you.”
The Sparks — who have a new coach in Curt Miller and GM in Bryant — have made big moves via trade this offseason, bringing in veteran point guard Jasmine Thomas this week from Connecticut.
Marlins acquire All-Star Luis Arraez in trade with Twins
The Miami Marlins and Minnesota Twins executed a long-rumored trade Friday, with American League batting champion Luis Arraez heading to Miami for right-hander Pablo Lopez and a pair of prospects, it was announced.
The deal, variations of which the teams have discussed for months, brings a much-needed bat to the Marlins, adding to their winter signing of Jean Segura, who’s expected to play third base.
The cost was significant, though. In addition to Lopez, a talented starter who slots in toward the top of Minnesota’s rotation, the Marlins will send shortstop Jose Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio, two well-regarded teenagers, to the Twins.
Arraez, 25, is a career .314 hitter with unparalleled bat-to-ball skills in the modern game. Last season, he made the All-Star team and finished 13th in AL MVP balloting after hitting .316/.375/.420, scoring 88 runs and registering more walks (50) than strikeouts (43). He is not a free agent until after the 2025 season.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Arraez is the first player to win a batting championship and then be traded in the offseason since Rod Carew won the AL batting title in 1978 with the Twins and then was traded to the Angels ahead of the 1979 season.
Arraez joins a Marlins team with a strong rotation headlined by National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara. Miami’s lineup, however, struggled mightily last year, with injuries sidelining incumbent second baseman Jazz Chisholm while free agent signees Avisail Garcia and Jorge Soler disappointed.
Marlins general manager Kim Ng said Chisholm, who has played middle infield exclusively during his big league career, will move to center field to make room for Arraez as the full-time second baseman.
Arraez also has experience at first base — where he played more than any position last year — or a corner-outfield slot.
Minnesota, meanwhile, can slot young slugger Jose Miranda at first base or play him at third and use Alex Kirilloff at first. Lopez joins a rotation with Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan and a grab bag of other possibilities, from Chris Paddack — who just signed a three-year extension — to Tyler Mahle, Bailey Ober, Josh Winder, Kenta Maeda and Randy Dobnak.
Lopez, 26, threw a career-high 180 innings last season over 32 starts and registered a 3.75 ERA. He has long been a favorite of statistically inclined teams such as Minnesota for his ability to strike out batters (9.2 per nine innings over the past three seasons), limit walks (2.6 per nine over the same period) and keep the ball in the park.
Salas, 19, is a borderline top-100 prospect, signed out of Venezuela for $2.8 million in 2019 after growing up in the Orlando area. He finished last season in High-A and is likely to start there again this year.
Chourio, 17, is a center fielder who hit .344/.429/.410 for the Marlins’ Dominican Summer League team last season.
Fanatics in talks to acquire BetParx sportsbook
New York, NY. – December 7th. Portrait for a profile on Fanatics founder & CEO Michael Rubin at his office in downtown NYC.
The Washington Post | Getty Images
Fanatics is in discussions to acquire the BetParx sportsbook, as the sports merchandising company looks to take a bigger position in sports betting, according to people familiar with the matter.
A deal hasn’t been reached, although Fanatics signed a letter of intent to buy the sportsbook, said the people, who weren’t authorized to speak publicly on the matter. A deal price couldn’t yet be learned, and the discussions may not result in an agreement, the people added.
Representatives for Fanatics and BetParx declined to comment.
The BetParx app was launched last year by Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment, the parent company of Parx Casino in Pennsylvania, and Playtech, an online gambling software supplier. BetParx is also available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio.
Fanatics has considered an initial public offering, but has been looking to complete an acquisition in the gambling space, among other possible deals, ahead of going public, the people said.
The company would be entering a crowded marketplace. Dozens of sports-betting operators have emerged in recent years, including Flutter-owned FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars and BetMGM, which is co-owned by MGM Resorts and Entain. As the space has grown more competitive, smaller players have struggled, with some, like MaximBet, ceasing operations recently.
Fanatics has been seeking a deal in the sports betting space for some time. Last year, it had been in discussions with small gambling operator Tipico, CNBC previously reported.
The company is opening Fanatics Sportsbook at FedExField, the stadium of the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Fanatics also said it received a temporary license to operate in Massachusetts, and plans to partner with Plainridge Park Casino, which is owned by Penn National.
In October, Fanatics said it hired Andrea Ellis as chief financial officer of its betting and gaming division.
Last year, Fanatics’ billionaire executive chairman Michael Rubin sold his 10% stake in Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, the owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, allowing Fanatics to enter the gambling space. NBA rules prohibit team owners from operating a gambling platform.
Fanatics raised $700 million in capital late last year, which the company planned to use toward potential mergers and acquisitions across the collectibles, betting and gaming businesses, CNBC previously reported.
The fresh round of capital brought Fanatics’ valuation to $31 billion.
Rubin’s company has been rapidly growing recently, pushing past solely being an online sports merchandise business. The company estimates its revenue for Fanatics, including its Lids segment, will be approximately $8 billion in 2023.
The company has been growing through acquisitions. Last year, it expanded its footprint in the collectibles business with a $500 million acquisition of Topps. It also bought clothing brand Mitchell & Ness in partnership with LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
–CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this article.