The New York Mets are trying to improve their putrid offense, acquiring third baseman Juan Uribe and utility man Kelly Johnson from the Atlanta Braves for minor league pitchers John Gant and Rob Whalen, the teams announced on Friday night.
Mets acquire Juan Uribe, Kelly Johnson from Braves
Atlanta will receive two minor league pitchers.
Daniel Shirey/Getty Images
The trade was first reported by Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports and Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.
The Mets enter Friday at 49-47, only three games out of first place in the National League East, despite an offense that ranks near the bottom of most offensive categories in baseball. New York is hitting just .233/.298/.357 as a team.
Uribe has already been traded once this season, from the Los Angeles Dodgers to Atlanta. Uribe is hitting .272/.331/.409 with eight home runs in 75 games, and is one of the better defensive third basemen in the NL.
The Mets have been without David Wright since April 14, and New York third basemen this season are hitting .241/.323/.336 with four home runs.
Johnson, 33, is hitting .275/.321/.451 with nine home runs in 62 games this season and has started games at left field, right field, first base and third base this season.
The Mets made history on Thursday with John Mayberry (.175/.235/.330 entering Thursday) batting cleanup and Eric Campbell (.179/.305/.283) batting fifth against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. They were shut out on three hits.
Elias: tonight, the NYM became the 2nd team since 1920 to start No. 4 and No.5 hitters with batting averages under .180 and at least 100 ABs
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 24, 2015
To make room on the active roster, Mayberry was designated for assignment and Danny Muno was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. Wright was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.
Uribe is making $6.5 million this season, and Johnson is making $1.5 million, which means the duo have roughly $3.15 million combined remaining the rest of the season.
Gant, 22, is 6-5 with a 3.52 ERA in 17 starts across Class-A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton this season, with 91 strikeouts and 36 walks in 99⅔ innings. He was drafted by the Mets in the 21st round in 2011.
Whalen, 21, is 45 with a 3.36 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts with Class-A St. Lucie, with 61 strikeouts and 34 walks in 83 innings. The Mets drafted the right-hander in the 12th round in 2012.
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