During the month of December, Major League Baseball free agency makes the headlines. There are some significant trades, but there are some deals that are under the radar. Here are eight low profile deals from December 7 to December 23.
December 7–Detroit trades reliever Joe Jimenez to Atlanta for minor leaguers
The Atlanta Braves acquired Joe Jimenez of San Juan, Puerto Rico from the Detroit Tigers for minor-league pitcher Jake Higginbotham and third baseman Justyn-Henry Malloy. The Braves become Jimenez’s second Major League team after six seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 2017 to 2022.
In 2022 with the Tigers, Jimenez pitched 62 games and had a record of three wins and two losses, with an earned run average of 3.49 and two saves. In 56 2/3 innings, he gave up 49 hits, 22 earned runs, and 13 walks to go along with 77 strikeouts, two saves, 11 holds, and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 1.09. Jimenez’s saves came in a 5-3 Tigers win over the Cleveland Guardians on July 4 and in a 9-8 Tigers win over the Texas Rangers on August 28. In 2018, Jimenez was an American League All-Star, as he pitched 68 games, and had a record of five wins and four losses, with an earned run average of 4.31.
December 7–Tampa Bay trades pitcher Brooks Raley to New York Mets for minor leaguer
The Tampa Bay Rays traded lefthanded reliever Brooks Raley of San Antonio, Texas to the New York Mets for minor league pitcher Keyshawn Askew. The Mets become Raley’s fifth Major League team following two seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2012 and 2013), one season with the Cincinnati Reds (2020), two seasons with the Houston Astros (2020 and 2021), and one season with the Rays (2022).
This past season in 60 games, Raley had a record of one win and two losses with an earned run average of 2.68. In 53 2/3 innings, he gave up 37 hits, 16 earned runs, and 15 walks, to go along with 61 strikeouts, six saves, 25 holds, and a WHIP of 0.97.
December 14–Cleveland trades infielder Owen Miller to Milwaukee for future considerations
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired infielder Owen Miller of Mequon, Wisconsin from the Cleveland Guardians for future considerations. The Brewers become Miller’s second team after two seasons in Cleveland.
This past season Miller batted .243 with six home runs and 51 runs batted in. During 130 games, 472 plate appearances and 424 at bats, Miller scored 53 runs and had 103 hits, 26 doubles, one triple, two stolen bases, 149 total bases, nine sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .301, and a slugging percentage of .351. Miller’s triple came in a 6-5 Guardians win over the Tigers on July 15. Miller’s stolen bases came in a 5-3 Guardians win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 19 and in a 10-7 Guardians win over the Chicago White Sox on September 20.
December 16–Kansas City trades relief pitcher Wyatt Mills to Boston for minor leaguer
The Boston Red Sox acquired relief pitcher Wyatt Mills of Spokane, Washington from the Kansas City Royals for minor league pitcher Jacob Wallace. The Red Sox become the third Major League Baseball team Mills has played for following the Seattle Mariners (2021 and 2022), and the Kansas City Royals (2022).
In 27 games with the Mariners and Royals in 2022, Mills had a record of zero wins and one loss, with an earned run average of 4.60. In 29 1/3 innings pitched, he gave up 26 hits, 15 earned runs, and 13 walks, to go along with 26 strikeouts, four holds, and a WHIP of 1.33.
December 16–Boston trades second baseman Hoy Jun Park to Atlanta
The Boston Red Sox traded second baseman Hoy Jun Park of Seoul, South Korea to the Atlanta Braves for future considerations. This was the second time that Park was traded in the offseason as he was also traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Red Sox for minor league pitcher Inmer Lobo on November 23. Park previously played for the New York Yankees in 2021, and the Pirates in 2021 and 2022.
In 2022, Park batted .216 with two home runs and six runs batted in. During 23 games, 60 plate appearances, and 51 at bats, he scored seven runs and had 11 hits, two doubles, one stolen base, two sacrifice bunts, two sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .276, and a slugging percentage of .373. Park’s two doubles came in two Pirates one-run wins. The first was on April 21 in a 4-3 Pirates win over the Chicago Cubs, and the second was on June 29 in an 8-7 Pirates win over the Washington Nationals. Both of Park’s sacrifice flies came in a 12-1 Pirates win over the Cubs on June 20.
December 18–Colorado trades outfielder Connor Joe to Pittsburgh for minor leaguer
The Colorado Rockies traded outfielder Connor Joe of San Diego, California to the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league pitcher Nick Garcia. The Pirates become Joe’s second Major League team following one season with the San Francisco Giants (2019), and two seasons with the Colorado Rockies (2021 to 2022).
In 2022 with the Rockies, Joe batted .238 with seven home runs and 28 runs batted in. During 111 games, 467 plate appearances and 404 at bats, he scored 56 runs, and had 96 hits, 20 doubles, six stolen bases, 55 walks, 145 total bases, and one sacrifice fly, to go along with an on base percentage of .338, and a slugging percentage of .359. Joe’s sacrifice fly came in an 8-5 Rockies win over the San Diego Padres on July 14.
December 18–San Francisco trades relief pitcher Gregory Santos to Chicago for minor leaguer
The San Francisco Giants traded relief pitcher Gregory Santos of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic to the Chicago White Sox for minor league pitcher Kade McClure. Santos had pitched the last two seasons with the Giants (2021 and 2022).
In 2022, Santos pitched 3 2/3 innings and did not have a decision, with an earned run average of 4.91. In two games, he gave up three hits, two earned runs, and three walks, to go along with two strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.64.
December 23–Pittsburgh trades second baseman Diego Castillo to Arizona for minor leaguer
The Pittsburgh Pirates traded second baseman Diego Castillo of Barquisimeto, Venezuela to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league pitcher Scott Randall. Castillo was a rookie for the Pirates in 2022.
Castillo batted .206, with 11 home runs and 29 runs batted in. During 96 games, 283 plate appearances and 262 at bats, he scored 28 runs and had 54 hits, 13 doubles, one stolen base, 14 walks, 100 total bases, four sacrifice flies, an on base percentage of .251 and a slugging percentage of .382. Castillo’s stolen base came in a 4-3 Pirates win over the Chicago Cubs on April 24.
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