MLB Trade News: Cardinals Move Freese for Angels’ Bourjos in Four-Player Deal
In a trade that should be beneficial for both teams, the St. Louis Cardinals have shipped third baseman David Freese and reliever Fernando Salas to the Los Angeles Angels for center fielder Peter Bourjos and minor leaguer Randal Grichuk.
By acquiring the 30-year-old Freese, the 2011 World Series MVP, the Angels get a quality defender at the hot corner and a productive hitter, albeit an oft-injured one.
Freese, battling nagging injuries in 2013, batted a career-worst .262 with nine home runs and 60 RBIs in 138 games.
Salas, a 28-year-old reliever from Mexico, was considered an extra arm in the Cardinals’ bullpen by season’s end due to the fact that the team has a wealth of young power arms.
Salas went 0-3 in 27 appearances with a 4.50 ERA, but could provide needed depth in an Angels ‘pen that struggled mightily last season.
CARDINALS ACQUIRE SPEED AND DEFENSE IN CENTER WITH BOURJOS
For the Cardinals, the speedy Bourjos could be the steal of this deal, if he can avoid the injury bug that curtailed his progress through his first four big-leagues seasons.
A player capable of Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field, Bourjos, 26, hit .274 in just 55 games in 2013.
Bourjos should definitely be an upgrade in center field over last year’s primary players at the position for the Cardinals, John Jay and Shane Robinson.
Jay should now be able to move over to right field and man that spot with free-agent slugger Carlos Beltran unlikely to return to the Redbirds.
Grichuk, a first-round pick of the Angels in 2009, is a top prospect who batted .256 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs at AA Arkansas, his first season at that level.
Patrick Hattman is a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan who was thrilled to see his favorite team make the postseason this year for the first time since 1992 and hopes for a World Series title in 2014.
