NEW YORK (AP) — The Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards from the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday before the major league non-waiver trade deadline, a boost for the bullpen in their quest to catch Cleveland and defend their AL Central title.
The Twins sent minor league infielder Jay Harry to the non-contending Blue Jays, who entered their game at Baltimore on Tuesday in last place in the AL East and eight games below the cut for the third and final AL wild card spot.
The Blue Jays, who've been trying to move under the $237 million tax threshold after starting the season with a $244 million payroll, dealt starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to Houston on Monday after previously trading away third baseman Justin Turner, catcher Danny Jansen and relievers Nate Pearson and Yimi García.
Toronto also traded injured utility player Isiah Kiner-Falefa to Pittsburgh for minor leaguer Charles McAdoo. Kiner-Falefa, who has been out since June 30 with a sprained knee but is due back soon, batted .292 with eight doubles, two triples, seven homers and 33 RBIs in 257 at-bats. He has primarily been a shortstop but has also played third base, catcher, second base and all three outfield spots since his major league debut with Texas in 2018.
Kiner-Falefa signed a $15 million, two-year contract last winter that pays $7.5 million each in 2024 and 2025.
Richards is making $2.15 million this year. The 31-year-old has a 4.64 ERA in 52 1/3 innings with 24 walks, 49 strikeouts and a .189 opponent batting average. Since the start of last season, Richards has the eighth-best strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio (11.09) in the AL. This will be his fifth major league club, following stints with Miami, Tampa Bay and Milwaukee. He has a 4.51 ERA in 547 career innings.
“Trevor has been such an underrated part of our bullpen the past for the past couple years, whether it’s opening, starting, relieving, closing, leverage,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “He takes the ball every single day. I think Trev understood that was a possibility. He’s been through it before.”
The Twins, who designated right-handed pitcher Josh Staumont for assignment to make room for Richards, could use more production in the bullpen before their late-inning specialists Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax and Jorge Alcala. They entered Tuesday six games behind the Guardians in the division race but in the second AL wild card spot. The bullpen's 3.93 ERA starting the day ranked 14th,
The 22-year-old Harry was a sixth-round draft pick in 2022 out of Penn State. He was playing this season for Cedar Rapids, Minnesota's high Class A affiliate.
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Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Trevor Richards (33) throws to a Detroit Tigers batter in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Trevor Richards (33) exits the game in the sixth inning of a baseball game against Detroit Tigers in Toronto, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — Keyonte George had 33 points and nine assists, John Collins added 28 points and 13 rebounds and the Utah Jazz won for the first time this season, beating the Chicago Bulls 135-126 on Monday night.
The injury-depleted Jazz (1-6) entered as the NBA's worst team offensively, averaging 99.8 points on 39.1 % percent shooting. Against Chicago, the Jazz shot 53.9% from the floor and were 45.7% from 3-pointer range at 16 of 35.
Collin Sexton added 24 points for Utah, and Walker Kessler had 12 points and 15 rebounds.
Chicago's Coby White came on in the second half to score 28 points, tying it twice late in the third quarter. But the Bulls, playing without injured leading scorer Zach LaVine, were unable to take the lead after falling behind by 15 points.
Ayo Dosunmu scored 25 points on 9-for 13 shooting, and Nikola Vucevic had 23 points for Chicago. The Bulls have lost two in a row to drop to 3-4.
Jazz: Utah outplayed Chicago even though it played a third straight game without leading scorer Lauri Markkanen (back spasms).
Bulls: Chicago stormed back in the third, but couldn't sustain the run.
After White tied it at 90 late in the third, Utah outscored Chicago 21-11 to pull away.
The Jazz had a season high in points and the 20-year-old George, in his second NBA season, tied his career high.
Utah is at Milwaukee on Thursday night. Chicago is at Dallas on Wednesday night.
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Utah Jazz's Keyonte George, right, drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Utah Jazz's John Collins (20) shoots over Chicago Bulls' Patrick Williams during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Utah Jazz's Walker Kessler (24) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls' Julian Phillips defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Utah Jazz's Keyonte George (3) shoots over Chicago Bulls' Dalen Terry during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Bulls' Coby White (0) drives to the basket between Utah Jazz's Cody Williams (5) and Walker Kessler during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu, right, drives to the basket as Utah Jazz's Brice Sensabaugh defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu (11) scores past Utah Jazz's Keyonte George during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Utah Jazz's Keyonte George, left, strips the ball from Chicago Bulls' Josh Giddey during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Utah Jazz's Keyonte George, left, drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls' Talen Horton-Tucker defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Bulls' Julian Phillips, left, and Utah Jazz's John Collins battle for a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
