Royals deal Moustakas to Milwaukee
The Kansas City Royals traded third baseman Mike Moustakas to the Milwaukee Brewers late Friday night in exchange for outfielder Brett Phillips and right-handed pitcher Jorge Lopez.
"We are excited to bring Mike into our organization," Brewers general manager David Stearns said in a statement. "Through this deadline period, we have prioritized adding an impact bat to our lineup, and Mike provides just that."
Moustakas, 29, set a franchise record with 38 home runs last season. Despite making his major league debut in 2011, Moustakas is eighth in Royals history with 139 career home runs. In 98 games this season, the two-time All-Star is batting .249 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs.
The Royals (31-71) are currently last in the American League Central and sit only two games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the worst record in baseball. In Milwaukee, Moustakas will reunite with Lorenzo Cain, who signed as a free agent with the Brewers after seven seasons with the Royals.
Moustakas is making $5.5 million this season on the contract he signed with the Royals as a free agent in March. The deal includes a $15 million mutual option for 2019 that can be bought out for $1 million.
Phillips, 24, has been with Triple-A Colorado Springs most of this season, batting .240 with six home runs, 25 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 71 games. He has also played in 52 major league games the last two seasons, hitting .257 with four home runs (all last season) and 16 RBIs.
Lopez, 25, also spent most of this season at Colorado Springs, where he made 24 relief appearances and went 3-3 with a 5.65 ERA, five saves and 23 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings pitched. He has also pitched in 10 games with the Brewers, going 0-1 with a 2.75 ERA in 19 2/3 innings.
Milwaukee is 60-46 and two games behind the Chicago Cubs for the lead in the National League Central. The Brewers hold the No. 1 wild card in the NL by a 2 1/2-game margin over Arizona.
--Field Level Media
