Five days after the San Diego Padres traded closer Craig Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers traded their ninth-inning man to the Detroit Tigers to continue the active MLB offseason.
Francisco Rodriguez was sent to Detroit on Wednesday in exchange for prospect infielder Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later. Both the Tigers and Brewers announced the trade on Twitter.
The Tigers announced today that the club has acquired RHP Francisco Rodriguez & a PTBNL from MIL in exchange for Javier Betancourt & a PTBNL
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 18, 2015
The #Brewers have traded RHP Francisco Rodriguez to Detroit in exchange for INF Javier Betancourt and a player to be named.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) November 18, 2015
Earlier this morning FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported the Tigers had inquired about other top closers such as Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, but the asking prices were too steep for their liking.
Sources: #Tigers have inquired on closers available in trade (Chapman, A. Miller, etc.). Not comfortable with asking prices.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 18, 2015
Instead, they looked to Milwaukee, who was certainly looking to move Rodriguez as they're in rebuilding mode under new general manager David Stearns. Earlier in the offseason it was said almost every MLB team was willing to trade their closer and the Brewers were undoubtedly one of those clubs considering Rodriguez is owed $5.5 million in 2016 and has a $6 million team option (or $4 million buyout) for 2017.
The Tigers will absorb all that money.
The right-hander has enjoyed a resurgence with the Brewers over the past two seasons. After recording just 36 saves from 2011-2013, Rodriguez came back to life and notched 82 saves over the past two seasons and maintained a 2.66 ERA in 129 games (125 innings).
On the other hand, Betancourt will now join Milwaukee's farm system. The 20-year-old was a Gulf Coast League All-Star in 2013 and a Midwest League All-Star in 2014. He began the 2015 season in High Class-A Lakeland and batted .263/.304/.336 with 45 runs scored, 3 home runs and 48 RBI in 122 games. He played 116 games at second base.
Here's Baseball America's scouting report on the youngster following the 2014 season.
"Betancourt is the nephew of former Mets third baseman Edgardo Alfonzo. Signed for $200,000 in 2011, Betancourt has good hand-eye coordination and makes frequent contact with a level, line-drive swing. He started to generate more loft in his swing in 2014 and can occasionally pull a ball over the fence, but he has gap power and his game will have to be about getting on base. He uses the whole field and has good pitch recognition, but his strong bat-to-ball skills get him in trouble because he's too aggressive, swinging at borderline pitches that result in weak contact. Betancourt mostly played second base, where he excelled and has a chance to be an above-average defender. He positions himself well, has good hands and feet and slows the game down. Despite fringy speed, he has good range to both sides, along with a fringe-average arm. Betancourt has a chance to develop into a player along the lines of Hernan Perez, though Betancourt is more advanced at the same age."
Stay tuned for later information on the other player expected to head to Milwaukee.
