Yahoo Sports Rangers trade reliever Joakim Soria to Tigers
NEW YORK – Vulnerable in the late innings, the Detroit Tigers agreed to acquire veteran reliever Joakim Soria from the Texas Rangers in exchange for two young pitchers.
After the Rangers’ rain-shortened game at Yankee Stadium, Soria smiled broadly and said, “I haven’t been told it is official yet.”
Rangers manager Ron Washington declined comment.
The agreed-upon trade would send right-handers Jake Thompson and Corey Knebel to the Rangers. Thompson, 20, is a second-round pick from 2012. He has a 3.13 ERA in 17 Class A and Double-A starts. The 22-year-old Knebel, drafted in the first round last year, has made eight relief appearances for the Tigers this season and has a 6.23 ERA.
The Tigers signed Joe Nathan this winter to a two-year, $20-million contract. Thirty-nine appearances in, he has a 5.89 ERA and has blown five of 25 save opportunities.
Soria has 17 saves in 19 opportunities, has a 2.70 ERA and 42 strikeouts to four walks. He is due the remainder of $5.5 million this season and the Tigers will hold a $7-million option for 2015.
Nathan and Soria were teammates last season in Texas. Now they’ll team up in the late innings for the Tigers, whose bullpen ERA – 4.41 – is among the worst in the American League and rises to 4.54 from the seventh inning on.
