According to Ken Rosenthal, via Twitter, the Texas Rangers are sending catcher Jonathan Lucroy to the Colorado Rockies. So far, the trade has been made for a player to be named later. Neither team has confirmed or denied this report. The Rockies had been seeking a catcher, previously being linked to Alex Avila of the Detroit Tigers.
Lucroy is a two-time All-Star and finished fifth in the MVP voting in 2014. The 31-year-old catcher is having a down season for the Rangers. He’s currently hitting .242/.297/.338 slash line. Lucroy has just four home runs in 77 games with Texas this season.
The Rockies are having a surprising year, and are seeking the additional push needed to contend successfully in the postseason. The club still has a solid fighting chance at a Wild Card run, and this addition will bolster their chances. Colorado has been struggling at the catching position this season. Tom Murphy has been injured, Tony Walters has been overused, and both Ryan Hanigan and Dustin Garneau have been far from impressive.
The club was linked to Lucroy earlier in the day, with news of the deal being all but completed just now circulating. The return has been listed as a PTBNL. Rumors indicate an outfielder, as the Rockies seem flush with talent in that area.
The Texas Rangers have had their own struggles, and are essentially seeking to improve for the 2018 season. An outfielder may seem like a stretch, as the club has been most plagued in starting pitching. With additional trade talks of Yu Darvish on the move, the Rangers will be looking to get several players t fill voids throughout the roster.
As more updates on this trade become available, updates will be provided. Stay tuned for more MLB news.
