ATHLETICS ADD PITCHER GEARRIN
The Oakland Athletics acquired pitcher Cory Gearrin from the Texas Rangers for pitchers Abdiel Mendoza and Teodoro Ortega.
What does it give the Oakland Athletics
The A's have been stockpiling relievers like they are going out of style this season, with Gearrin being merely the latest addition. He will probably pitch in middle relief down the stretch, but should become a setup man in Oakland next season (as he is under contract for 2019).
What does it give the Texas Rangers
Both Mendoza and Ortega are teenagers, so Texas did very well here to acquire two long-range prospects for a reliever (especially since Texas is nowhere near contender status this season). That said, both pitchers will need a lot of development time before arriving in MLB.
Fantasy impact
Gearrin may not be used in high-leverage situations down the stretch, since Oakland already boasts Blake Treinen, Fernando Rodney, Jeurys Familia and Shawn Kelley in their crowded bullpen. Therefore, his fantasy value may take a short-term hit here. Neither Mendoza nor Ortega have done enough in professional baseball to be on the fantasy radar, but keep an eye on them in the coming years.
