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Astros get Gold Glove winner Martin Maldonado from Angels
The Houston Astros made a move to shore up their defense behind the plate by trading within their own division.
Houston acquired catcher Martin Maldonado from the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, the teams announced. Maldonado was the 2017 Gold Glove winner at catcher for the American League.
The Angels, who trail the first-place Astros by 15 1/2 games in the AL West standings, receive left-handed pitching prospect Patrick Sandoval in the deal.
This year, Maldonado leads all MLB catchers with a .444 caught-stealing percentage, catching 12 of 27 base stealers this season. His .994 fielding percentage is ranked fifth in baseball.
Offensively, the 31-year-old Maldonado, who will be a free agent at the end of this season, is hitting .223 with five home runs and 32 RBIs.
Sandoval, 21, was 9-1 with a 2.56 ERA in two levels of the Astros' minor league organization this season. At the time of the trade he was with the Astros' High A team (Buies Creek) in the Carolina League.
Houston acquired catcher Martin Maldonado from the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday, the teams announced. Maldonado was the 2017 Gold Glove winner at catcher for the American League.
The Angels, who trail the first-place Astros by 15 1/2 games in the AL West standings, receive left-handed pitching prospect Patrick Sandoval in the deal.
This year, Maldonado leads all MLB catchers with a .444 caught-stealing percentage, catching 12 of 27 base stealers this season. His .994 fielding percentage is ranked fifth in baseball.
Offensively, the 31-year-old Maldonado, who will be a free agent at the end of this season, is hitting .223 with five home runs and 32 RBIs.
Sandoval, 21, was 9-1 with a 2.56 ERA in two levels of the Astros' minor league organization this season. At the time of the trade he was with the Astros' High A team (Buies Creek) in the Carolina League.