Arizona Diamondbacks trade Heath Bell and David Holmberg as part of three-team deal
Dec 3, 2013, 8:04 PM | Updated: Dec 4, 2013, 12:08 am
The Arizona Diamondbacks have made a trade with the Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays, sending pitcher Heath Bell and cash considerations to Tampa Bay and pitcher David Holmberg to Cincinnati, while receiving minor league pitcher Justin Choate and a player to be named later.
Along with the players Arizona is receiving, the D-backs will also get financial relief from the rest of Bell’s contract.
“I would say the player to be named later is somebody that we value a lot as a prospect,” Towers said in a conference call. “Of course, we can’t announce who that is yet, but that’s not to take anything about Mr. Choate.
“But I would say probably the key player in the deal with he players from Tampa Bay will be a player to be named later.”
Towers added that the money saved creates a lot of flexibility for the team to “add depth and plug holes.”
So in a nutshell Arizona gets Justin Choate and a good prospect to be named later for Bell and Holmberg.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) December 3, 2013
Dbacks save nearly all of Bell's remaining salary ($6 million) to be spent elsewhere.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) December 3, 2013
Arizona only sending 500K of Bell's remaining $6 million salary to Tampa.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo620) December 3, 2013
Bell spent one up and down year in Arizona after being acquired via a trade, posting a 5-2 record with 15 saves and a 4.11 ERA. He was credited with seven blown saves and allowed 12 home runs.
Holmberg, 22, had been with the Diamondbacks organization since 2011, and made one start for the big league club last season. He allowed three runs on six hits in 3.2 innings, while walking three and striking out none.
“We viewed him as a guy that we thought could be a back end of the rotation-type starter,” Towers said, before adding he thinks Holmberg will be an effective major league pitcher for years to come. “His name is part of this three-way deal to be able to move Bell and Bell’s salary, as well as getting the prospects that we’re getting from Tampa.”
Choate, whom the D-backs are getting in return, is a 22-year-old who posted a 1-3 record with a 2.88 ERA in 40.2 innings of work for low-level Hudson Valley last season. He struck out 35 and walked nine.
