The Los Angeles Dodgers traded Tony Cingrani and Minor League pitcher Jeffry Abreu to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Jedd Gyorko, international cap space and cash considerations.
Gyorko is not yet eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list, but figures to provide some depth and insurance for David Freese, Kiké Hernandez and Chris Taylor. Hernandez could be out until September with a left hand sprain, while Taylor may not return from a non-displaced left forearm fracture until some point in August.
In addition to currently being sidelined by a lower back strain, Gyorko began the season on the IL because of a calf strain.
The 30-year-old was limited to just 38 games for the Cardinals this season, batting .196/.274/.304 with two home runs and seven RBI. Over parts of seven seasons with the San Diego Padres and Cardinals, Gyorko is a lifetime .246/.310/.424 batter with 107 doubles, 112 home runs and 351 RBI.
Cingrani’s tenure with the Dodgers comes to an end after he was acquired at the trade deadline in 2017. He appeared in 52 games for the Dodgers, pitching to a 3.86 ERA to go along with 64 strikeouts.
Cingrani was an effective option out of the bullpen in 2017, but struggled last season and was limited by a shoulder impingement. The southpaw was deemed healthy heading into Spring Training this year, only to suffer a relapse with the injury. That led to season-ending shoulder surgery in June.
His absence, coupled with Scott Alexander also dealing with injury trouble and Caleb Ferguson struggling, created a need for a lefty specialist. Although the Dodgers were linked to a slew of elite left-handed relief pitchers, they filled the void by trading for Adam Kolarek.
Abreu went 2-0 with a 4.66 ERA and 24 strikeouts in six games (two starts) for the Arizona League Dodgers. The 19-year-old Dominican Republic native is in his second season with the organization and is a combined 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA (21 ER/44.0 IP) and 42 strikeouts.
The Dodgers’ trade with the Cardinals was the second in as many days, as Zac Rosscup was previously sent to St. Louis in exchange for cash considerations.
