7/27/17

TRADE! Lucas Duda traded to the Tampa Bay Rays


     According to Joel Sherman, via Twitter, the Mets have traded 1B Lucas Duda to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHRP Drew Smith.

In 8 seasons with the Mets, Duda posted an average stat line of a .246 AVG, .801 OPS, with 27 HRs and 81 RBIs per season. He finishes his Mets career 7th in franchise history in HRs, tied for 10th in Adjusted OPS+, and 1st in HBP with 48. It is expected that Duda will play 1B for the Rays with current 1B Logan Morrison moving into the DH role, and current DH Corey Dickerson moving back into the OF.

On the return side, Drew Smith is a hard throwing RH reliever with a plus fastball and an above average curveball that misses plenty of bats. Smith will be assigned to (AA) Binghamton Rumble Ponies for the immediate time frame. In 3 MiLB season thus far, Smith has a 1.80 ERA with 13 Saves and a 10.1 K/9 rate. According to MLB.com's Team Prospects page,


"Smith is largely a fastball/breaking ball short reliever. His heater will sit comfortably in the 92-95 mph range, and he can reach back for more, all from a clean and easy delivery. He'll show an above-average curveball at times with really good snap to it, but not consistently. Smith doesn't throw his changeup enough, and he'll need to improve his feel for the pitch and use it more in the future, though he did make strides as a strike-thrower in his second full season."

17 comments:

That Adam Smith said...

So, maybe we get two Smiths on the big club for the remainder? Can we release Salas now?

Hobie said...

You're a Smith fan, Adam?

Unknown said...

Wow we actually get a kid that has real promise so nice first move Sandy and now we'll see if if it's just the first in a series of moves hopefully because I was worried they were gonna still try and sell us on the "were still in it" nonsense.

Reese Kaplan said...

So apparently Sandy took a phone call...it's amazing what can happen when you get off your ass occasionally.

In the pool of who would be the first to go, I don't think anyone had Duda. Shows what we know, huh?

Unknown said...

Also does this mean Dom Smith gets the first call up?

Christopher Soto said...

@Gary

Nope.....my guess is....

With Walker being activated tomorrow....we may not see Dominic Smith.

Instead the club could go with an infield of:

1B TJ RIvera/Wilmer Flores
2B Neil Walker
SS Jose Reyes
3B Asdrubal Cabrera

At least until another trade happens.

For Tonight, Jay Bruce is at 1B

Unknown said...

Giving Walker a QOer that's cost us 17 million has to be one of the worse moves of Sandy's tenure (and I promise not to mention Daniel Murphy again) and now as if he'll actually be able to show enough to have value in trade talks (and we'd have to pick up a huge chunk of his salary as well) he's taking up a position that should go to a youngster. Bruce at first only makes sense if it's till Smith fly's to Seattle to join us. We should keep Bruce and give him a QOer and either get a draft pick or sign him. I could live with a YC, Conforto, Bruce outfield which would be the middle of our lineup and maybe Rosario and Smith in the first two spots but it will never happen if TC is rehired.

Mack Ade said...

regarding the pitcher Smith, has pitched for 5 teams this year including the parent Tampa Bay...

has mad ERA/WHIP numbers and throughout his career (79-appearances, 1.80, 0.96)...

my hopes is they place him in AA-Binghamton and not Vegas

bgreg98180 said...

A minor league reliever is what Alderson got in return for a 30 HR middle of the order bat?

Not really impressed.

Hobie said...

Bob--

it's for TWO MONTHS of Duda. In April it's a 1.80/0.96 prospect for nuttin'

And Reese--

I'm sure that's exactly how it happened. Sandy said, "Oh what the heck, I'll pick up the phone for grins."
Jeesh.

bgreg98180 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robb said...

This is a good trade. You weren't signing duda long term, the market was minimal. You got rid of the incumbent 1st basemen, hopefully smith is coming up and you got a hard throwing 23 year old who could be a 8th inning guy.

Also when people see that he's the 30th prospect, its bc all prospect ranking systems wont put rp in their top halves. almost no closers in mlb that were relievers in the minors were ever considered top prospects.

Dont expect big returns (a teams top 6 prospect)for anyone except maybe reed. the rest is a buyers market.

1st step in replenishing the bullpen and getting younger.

Tom Brennan said...

Smith not playing tonight. My guess is he is on a plane to join team.

Tom Brennan said...

Adam Kolarek pitched in relief for Rays against Yanks.

Reese Kaplan said...

@Hobie -- my point is that a GM should do more than merely wait for the phone to ring. He should be the one aggressively attempting to make deals.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

I was first shocked at this kid's numbers but then realized it was in relief as, I think, he was 30th in the organization's depth chart.

I wonder if he has the arm strength for starter.

I think it would be a disaster to put him in Vegas. I think it is less risk to bring him to NY than Vegas.

AA or NY, but not atmospheric AAA.

Kevin P keeps hitting there....hmm.

That Adam Smith said...

I figure we're probably related.