Cardinals, Brewers, Dodgers and Royals add pitchers in flurry of deals on day before MLB deadline

Chicago dealt Kopech to the Dodgers, who received utilityman Tommy Edman and a pitching prospect from the Cardinals. Los Angeles sent three infield prospects to the White Sox.

The Dodgers later acquired utilityman Amed Rosario from Tampa Bay in a second straight year in a deadline deal — they acquired him from Cleveland last July for Noah Syndergaard. Rosario signed with the Rays as a free agent this spring, hitting .307 with two homers and 26 RBIs in 76 games.

Montas, the right-handed pitcher who was 4-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts for Cincinnati, is going to the Brewers in a rare trade between division rivals.

“This is probably the toughest time I’ve had leaving a clubhouse,” Montas said before the teams announced the deal. “The relationships I’ve built here and the way they’ve welcomed me, not just me but my family and my kids, it’s definitely tough.”

But the 31-year-old Montas, who was traded for the fifth time since making his major league debut in 2015, also described it as “kind of the cool part” of going to a team that’s in first place.

Reigning World Series champion Texas (52-55), which is in third place in the AL West, traded Lorenzen to the Royals for a minor league left-handed reliever.

Atlanta, the NL wild-card contender, managed to reacquire two players who played a role in their 2021 World Series title, reaching a deal with San Francisco for outfielder Jorge Soler and right-handed reliever Luke Jackson.

Soler was the 2021 World Series MVP after three homers in that six-game series against Houston, and Jackson had three scoreless outings. Left-hander Tyler Matzek and a minor league infielder went from Atlanta to the Giants.

Houston and Seattle, locked in a neck-and-neck race for the lead in the AL West, both struck a deal with Toronto.

The Mariners made their third significant move before the deadline, signing veteran Justin Turner from the Blue Jays for a minor league outfielder. Seattle added Randy Arozarena and Yimi Garcia in a pair of trades last week.

The Astros later acquired left-handed pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.75 ERA in 22 starts) from Toronto instead of 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Jake Bloss, rookie outfielder Joey Loperfido and minor league first baseman Will Wagner.

Kikuchi is 35-46 with a 4.72 ERA in six seasons with Seattle and Toronto. He joins a rotation without Justin Verlander (neck stiffness), Cristian Javier and José Urquidy (both having Tommy John surgery).

AL Central leader Cleveland added veteran outfielder Lane Thomas from Washington for a left-handed minor leaguer and two infielders. The 28-year-old Thomas is hitting .253 with eight homers in 77 games this season, along with 28 stolen bases and a 25-game on-base streak for the longest active in the major leagues. He has a big league-high 24 outfield assists since the start of last season.

The 31-year-old Fedde is 7-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 21 starts in a successful return to the majors. He agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract with the White Sox in December after pitching for the NC Dinos in South Korea in 2023. A first-round draft pick by Washington in the 2014 amateur draft, he is 28-37 with a 4.92 ERA in 123 major-league games (109 starts).

Lorenzen went 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) for the Rangers. In his final start on Saturday, he allowed four runs and five hits while recording just two outs in Toronto. He then pitched four innings as a reliever on Sunday.

Lorenzen, 32, was a first-time All-Star with Detroit last season and threw a no-hitter for Philadelphia after being traded. He signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with Texas on March 23. Primarily a starter over the past three seasons, Lorenzen has a 45-44 ERA with a 4.08 ERA in 361 career games (87 starts) with Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Texas, the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said he was looking forward to the “depth and versatility” the right-handed pitcher would provide.

Kansas City had two right-handed relievers leave Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs after suffering injuries. John Schreiber (right knee patellar tendon) went on the injured list for 15 days on Monday. Hunter Harvey, who the Royals acquired in a trade from Washington two weeks ago, was day-to-day after leaving with a back spasm.

The Reds acquired veteran first baseman Ty France and money from Seattle for a minor league catcher. The 30-year-old France, a 2022 AL All-Star, was designated for assignment by the Mariners last week after hitting .223 with eight homers and 31 RBI in 88 games.

Turner is expected to see the bulk of his playing time at first base for Seattle for the foreseeable future, but is also capable of playing third base and was the designated hitter for 71 of the 89 games he played in for Toronto. The 39-year-old batted .254 with six homers and 31 RBI in 89 games for the Blue Jays.

Pittsburgh acquired left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks from Colorado for a minor league lefty. The 31-year-old Beeks is 6-4 with nine saves and a 4.74 ERA in a career-high 45 relief appearances this season.

Boston acquired right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor league infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke in a trade involving former first-round draft picks. The Red Sox then sent Priester (2-6, 5.04 ERA) to Triple-A Worcester.

AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB