The Detroit Tigers have acquired pitching prospect Robbie Ray, infielder Steve Lombardozzi and left-handed pitcher Ian Krol for starting right-handed pitcher Doug Fister in a trade with the Washington Nationals.
Fister will most likely be the No. 4 pitcher for the Nationals’ rotation. A lineup that already includes All-Star Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez. Fister’s contract has him signed through the 2015 season, which will give Washington a few years of postseason experience and an innings eater.
“This is an exciting day for the Washington Nationals,” said Washington GM Mike Rizzo in a statement from ESPN.com. “We feel we’ve added a talented, young veteran to our starting pitching corps. Doug is battle-tested through playoff experiences, and the depth he brings to our staff is exceptional. We are thrilled to welcome him aboard.”
The deal was first reported by MLB Daily Dish writer Chris Cotillo of SB Nation, and was confirmed soon after by FOX Sports MLB insider Ken Rosenthal.
In 33 games pitched last season, Fister had 14 wins to go along with 9 losses. He posted a 3.67 ERA in 208.2 innings of work. Since his acquisition from the Seattle Mariners in 2011, Fister has won at least 10 games in two full seasons with Detroit.
Shipping off Fister allows left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly to solidify his spot in the rotation, most likely as the No. 5 pitcher. This will also bump up Rick Porcello in the lineup and replace Fister as the No. 4 pitcher.
“We are confident he [Drew Smyly] will do well,” Dombrowski said in the press release, per the Detroit Free Press.
As for the prospects the Tigers received in the deal, Krol, 22, posted a 2-1 overall record with a 3.95 ERA in 32 relief appearances in Washington during his rookie season.
Lombardozzi, 25, had 13 pinch hits in 2013, the second-most in baseball according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark. He also batted .259 with two home runs and 22 RBIs last season for the Nationals.
Ray, 22, finished last season with Double-A, Harrisburg. In 11 games with the Senators, the No. 5 rated prospect in the Nationals’ farm system had 5 wins and 2 losses with a 3.72 ERA.
“We are excited to be adding three solid players to the organization,” Tigers’ president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said in a release, per the Detroit Free Press. “Robbie is a premium pitching prospect, Ian adds a quality left-handed young arm for the bullpen and Steve provides our ballclub with versatility in several roles as a switch-hitting utility-man.”
