With infielder Sean Rodriguez going down with a shoulder injury suffered in a car accident, the Braves decided to pick up some insurance at second base by trading for Brandon Phillips. The 35 year old second baseman has played 15 major league seasons, yet still slashed .291/.320/.416 last season, and Atlanta got him for next to nothing. The Reds will pay most of Phillips' contract for 2017, leaving the Braves on the hook for just $1 million. Phillips will presumably start at second base until top prospect Ozzie Albies is ready to play in the majors sometime later this season or early next season, but may split time with Jace Peterson and Rodriguez, once he's healthy. Phillips was an All Star in 2010, 2011, and 2013, won a Silver Slugger in 2011, and won Gold Gloves in 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2013. For his career, the Atlanta native has 197 home runs, 334 doubles, 34 triples, 198 stolen bases, and a .275 batting average over 1749 games since 2002.
The Reds dealt Phillips in order to make room for 22 year old Jose Peraza, who slashed .324/.352/.411 over 74 games last season. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot going back to Cincinnati in this trade. Andrew McKirahan just turned 27, though he sat out the entire 2016 season with Tommy John surgery. In his only major league action, in 2015, he put up a 5.93 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP over 27 relief appearances, striking out 22 and walking 10 over 27.1 innings. The lefty will fight for a spot in the Cincinnati bullpen, where his above average command could help him provide quality innings. However, the former Texas Longhorn will have to figure out how to miss more bats, as he has become more and more hittable as he has moved up the ladder. Also joining the Reds system is Cuban right hander Carlos Portuondo, a 29 year old just signed off the island this season. He began with High Class A Carolina, where he put up a 4.01 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP over 12 games (1 start), striking out 21 and walking 13 in 24.2 innings. Moving up to AAA Gwinnett for five relief appearances, he put up a solid 2.70 ERA but his WHIP inflated to 1.70 as he allowed 13 hits and four walks in ten innings, striking out four. Portuondo was never a star in Cuba, putting up a 5.75 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP over an eight year career for Santiago, split between the rotation and relief. Prior to 2016, he had not played professionally since 2013, so after shaking off the rust this past season, he's really a wild card for 2017.
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