{"id":7151,"date":"2023-08-01T16:15:07","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T23:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/?p=7151"},"modified":"2023-08-01T16:15:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T23:15:07","slug":"rangers-acquire-austin-hedges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportrelay.com\/mlb\/2023\/08\/01\/rangers-acquire-austin-hedges\/","title":{"rendered":"Rangers Acquire Austin Hedges from Pirates"},"content":{"rendered":"

With mere minutes until the trade deadline was set to expire, the Texas Rangers<\/a> acquired catcher Austin Hedges<\/strong><\/a> in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates<\/a> on Tuesday afternoon. News of the deal was first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com<\/a>. They\u2019ll send international bonus space to the Pirates in return, Joel Sherman of the New York Post<\/em> reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Extra Backstop<\/h4>\n

The Rangers have received excellent production from catcher Jonah Heim<\/a><\/strong> this year. However, Heim was recently diagnosed with a wrist injury<\/a> that\u2019ll cost him at least a few weeks. Hedges can join forces with Mitch Garver<\/a><\/strong> to provide the Rangers with an elite defensive option behind the plate, though he\u2019s also one of the lightest-hitting players in the game at present. Surgery hasn\u2019t been ruled out for Heim, and if that ultimately ends up proving necessary, the addition of some depth behind the plate will prove all the more important.<\/p>\n

Hedges’ Season Thus Far<\/h4>\n

Hedges, who turns 31 next month, signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Pirates in the offseason. He has a .180\/.237\/.230 slash line. However, he has continued to rate as the sport\u2019s premier pitch framer<\/a>\u00a0and one of its top four\u00a0pitch blockers<\/a>, per Statcast. Defensive Runs Saved pegs him at a hefty +8 this season despite logging only 507 innings behind the plate. Hedges\u2019 14% caught-stealing rate is a career-worst mark for him, but he owns a career 28% mark in that regard. As far as defensive-minded backstops are concerned, he\u2019s among the best in the game.<\/p>\n

Nowhere to Put Hedges<\/h4>\n

The Pirates, with top catching prospects\u00a0Henry Davis<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Endy Rodriguez<\/a><\/strong> both in the major leagues, simply didn\u2019t have at-bats for Hedges going forward. Both young catchers have recently raved about the influence Hedges had on them in their short time together. His departure will now create further opportunities for that pair to continue their development at the major league level.<\/p>\n

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Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>