Tony Watson Is Going To Los Angeles, Add Benoit

News: The Pittsburgh Pirates made their first move today, sending Tony Watson to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports report that Tony Watson is going to become a Dodgers:

Tony Watson has been a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 2007 when the team drafted him in the ninth round.  Watson posted a 2.68 ERA and 3.59 FIP for the Pirates in 433 innings.  From 2013-15, the Pirates three-year postseason streak, Tony Watson was as valuable as they come posting a 1.97 ERA and 2.91 FIP.  Watson’s 450 games is seventh all time among pitchers in Pittsburgh Pirates history.

Watson has struggled the last two seasons, posting a 3.31 ERA and 4.50 FIP, but he has limited left-handed hitting with a 51% groundball rate, a .282 wOBA, and a .261 estimated wOBA.  Watson still has the ability to get left-handed hitters out successfully, and should provide a boost for the best team in baseball.  Wish Tony Watson the best in his pursuit for a World Series ring.

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In return for Watson, the Pirates have acquired two minor league players according to Joel Sherman, which is not a controllable relief pitcher, something Bill Brink reported earlier.  Francisco Liriano, who like Watson is a free agent at the end of the season, brought back the Houston Astros number nine prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Oneil Cruz, a shortstop and third baseman that ranks 21st in the Dodgers system.  Cruz is an 18-year-old in A ball, so he has a long route to the majors.  The other player they acquired Angel German, who is a 21 year old relief prospect in A ball as well.   German is unranked in the Dodgers system according to MLB Pipeline.

The Pirates did make another deal, as they added Joaquin Benoit for Seth McGarry.  The Pirates didn’t add a controllable arm, and they traded for a 40-year-old relief pitcher in what seems like an odd day for the Pirates.

*Numbers from fangraphs