MLB roundup: Diamondbacks acquire Mark Trumbo in 3-way trade, Rockies deal for Brett Anderson
The Winter Meetings got real on Tuesday.
The Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday acquired the power bat they were looking for in a trade that involved three teams and six players, landing slugger Mark Trumbo from the Los Angeles Angels.
The D-Backs gave up Tyler Skaggs and Adam Eaton, a pair of promising young players, to improve their homer-hitting ability. Arizona had only one player, Paul Goldschmidt, finish with more than 14 home runs in 2013. The D-Backs will also receive a pair of players to be named later in the deal.
The Chicago White Sox, the third team in the trade, shipped Hector Santiago to the Angels and will receive Eaton. Skaggs, who began his pro career in the Angels organization before being dealt to Arizona for Dan Haren in 2010, will join Santiago in Anaheim.
In a classic change-of-scenery deal, the Colorado Rockies acquired oft-injured starter Brett Anderson in exchange for floundering young hurler Drew Pomeranz and minor-leaguer Chris Jensen, the team announced on Tuesday.
Anderson, 25, has made 11 starts over the past two seasons for the Oakland Athletics and has only one full season under his belt. That came in 2009, when he pitched to a 4.06 ERA in 175⅓ innings as a rookie. Pomeranz, who was considered a top-25 prospect as recently as a year and a half ago, has a 5.20 ERA in 136⅔ big-league innings while walking almost five batters per nine.
Free-agent pitcher A.J. Burnett is still unsure of whether or not he wants to return to the big leagues next season, a friend of the veteran hurler told CBS Sports' Jon Heyman on Tuesday.
Pittsburgh is a likely destination for the 36-year-old veteran if he decides to return, although Heyman indicates the Baltimore Orioles are a potential landing spot for Burnett due to the proximity to his Maryland home. Burnett led all National League starters with 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings while posting a 3.30 ERA for the Pirates in 2013.
Former Orioles starter Jason Hammel has attracted interest from the Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals, according to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi.
Hammel struggled with injuries en route to a 4.97 ERA in 23 starts in 2013 but is one season removed from a 3.43 ERA and a career-best 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Plus, the 31-year-old hurler displayed consistent success while pitching half of his games at Coors Field from 2009 through 2011, posting a respectable 4.63 ERA in 524⅔ innings.
The Toronto Blue Jays have discussed trades involving outfielder Colby Rasmus with two teams in hopes of receiving a starting pitcher in return, according to Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
Rasmus, 27, has yet to live up to the hype he garnered as a prospect but is coming off his best season since 2010. Rasmus hit .276/.338/.501 with 22 home runs but struggled in the field, finishing seven runs below average.
More from SB Nation MLB:
• Trumbo, Eaton highlight 3-team trade between Angels, D-Backs, White Sox | Goldman: Arizona might be only loser in deal
