The Rangers announced they’ve traded reliever Grant Anderson to the Brewers for minor league pitcher Mason Molina. Milwaukee designated left-hander Tyler Jay for assignment to open a 40-man roster spot, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Texas had designated the 27-year-old Anderson for assignment earlier in the week when they finalized the Joc Pederson deal. The low-slot righty has made 49 MLB appearances for the Rangers as an up-and-down reliever. His major league work hasn’t been great, as he has allowed 6.35 earned runs per nine over 62 1/3 innings. Anderson’s respective strikeout (21.5%) and walk (8.8%) rates aren’t far off league average. He has had massive home run issues, though, giving up 16 longballs (2.31 per nine innings) in his major league career.
That hasn’t been as big a problem in the minors. Anderson didn’t allow a single homer over 27 2/3 Triple-A innings this year. He fanned 28.3% of minor league opponents and turned in a sub-3.00 ERA in the Pacific Coast League. Anderson has a 3.87 mark over parts of three seasons for the organization’s top affiliate in Round Rock.
Anderson still has a minor league option remaining, so Milwaukee can keep him at Triple-A Nashville for another season. The Brewers have Trevor Megill, Joel Payamps, Nick Mears and Jared Koenig locked into the Opening Day bullpen. Milwaukee could carry Rule 5 pick Connor Thomas in long relief. That’d only leave a couple ’pen spots up for grabs if everyone is healthy, so the flexibility afforded by the option is valuable.
Milwaukee acquired Jay from the Mets in July. The 30-year-old southpaw was limited to two MLB appearances after the deal. He tossed three scoreless innings with three walks and strikeouts apiece. Jay had pitched five times for New York earlier in the year, his first taste of big league action.
A former top 10 pick of the Twins, Jay has spent seven seasons in the minor leagues. He had a productive year in Triple-A between the New York and Milwaukee systems, combining for a 3.02 earned run average through 56 2/3 innings. He struck out a slightly below-average 20.5% of opponents while showing excellent control (5.1% walk rate). Milwaukee will trade Jay or put him on waivers within the next five days.
Molina, 21, was Milwaukee’s seventh-round pick last summer. The Arkansas product threw five scoreless innings in Low-A during his initial professional action. The 6’2″ lefty had turned in a 4.47 ERA over 15 appearances (13 starts) for the Razorbacks in his junior season. Baseball America wrote at the time of the draft that Molina’s 89-90 MPH fastball plays above its velocity because of its life at the top of the zone. Molina’s command is a work in progress. He’s a low minors developmental flier for the Rangers.
Next brewers reclamation project?
He isn’t a reclamation project. He has some talent and plenty of club control. The guy really just needs an opportunity for regular appearances.
See Cole Ragans
Minus first round pedigree and any ability, other than a goofy delivery
Probably. I remember when Grant debuted, he was really missing bat’s and deceptive in his delivery. Like Darren O’Day.
If the Brewers want one of my relievers then I’d start questioning what I’m missing in them
The 30-year-0ld southpaw
A 0 instead of an o
As Mike Maddux calls em Goose Eggs
Brewers cornering the market on other teams bad relievers to an already stocked pen. Maybe insurance for injuries down the road
Relievers are bad one year and great the next. You can never have enough. A great roster like the Dodgers can/will/has before gone down in October because of relief pitching. It’s a year to year thing and that’s why the top guys seeking fat contracts are still unemployed.
2014 Cardinals definitely lost the NLCS due to lack of relief pitching. Lost game 3 in the 10th inning. Lost game 4 in the 6th inning and game 5 of course was the Travis Ishikawa walk off in the 9th
It’s the manager
Basically the entire Brewers bullpen is guys that were DFA’d, then came to Milwaukee and became serviceable to shut down relievers.
He probably will end up being a shuttle arm that gets into a few games, but the Brewers must see something they think could be unlocked in him
Brewers are like the mechanic I’m GTA. They go in and banged up or broken and come out all Shiney and new.
They have to. They’re not gonna spend a billion on stars and just defer it to 2075. The better small market teams can eye projects like this and strike gold (or silver) more often than not.
hate to see him leave Texas.
Good pick up.