The Los Angeles Angels, far out of contention in a year they hoped to snap their five-year playoff drought, continued to sell off assets Sunday, trading veteran catcher Jason Castro to the San Diego Padres for reliever Gerardo Reyes, according to multiple reports.
Castro, who will be a free agent after the season, was in the lineup and batting eighth for Sunday's game against the Seattle Mariners but was scratched shortly before the first pitch when it became apparent a deal was imminent.
Reyes, 27, is a hard-throwing right-hander whose fastball averaged 97 mph in 2019, when he went 4-0 with a 7.62 ERA in 27 games for the Padres, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 26 innings.
Reyes also has a nasty slider that averages 87.8 mph, but he has had trouble finding the strike zone consistently. He has not pitched in the major leagues this season.
The Padres, who entered Sunday with a 20-15 record, the third-best mark in the National League, are loading up for a playoff run, having acquired reliever Trevor Rosenthal from the Kansas City Royals and first baseman/designated hitter Mitch Moreland from the Boston Red Sox over the weekend.
Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejia have been sharing catching duties for San Diego, but neither is providing much offense. Hedges entered Sunday with a .167 average, .614 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, three homers and five RBIs, and Mejia was hitting .079 with a .331 OPS, one homer and two RBIs.
Castro, 33, signed a one year, $6.85-million contract with the Angels in January, and in 18 games he provided solid game-calling and pitch-framing skills as well as good plate discipline and occasional power in the batter's box.
The left-handed-hitting Castro batted .192 (10 for 52) with a .323 on-base percentage, a .707 OPS, two homers, six RBIs, 23 strikeouts and 10 walks.
Castro, who will be a one-month rental for the Padres, admitted before Saturday night's game that the possibility of being traded was on his mind.
"I try to focus on things I can have an immediate impact on," Castro said. "Worrying about things outside of what you can control on a daily basis doesn't really help you much. I try to continue to focus on winning ballgames day in and out, and let things happen as they may."
Castro was replaced in the lineup Sunday by Anthony Bemboom, who will likely handle the bulk of the catching duties until Max Stassi returns from a bruised knee and strained quadriceps, injuries he sustained two weeks ago. Catcher Jose Briceno is working out at the team's alternate training site in Long Beach.
The Angels, who entered Sunday with a 12-22 record, the second-worst mark in the American League, traded utility infielder Tommy La Stella, a first-time All-Star in 2019 and a free-agent-to-be after this season, to the Oakland Athletics for 24-year-old utility player Franklin Barreto on Friday.
There has also been significant trade interest in veteran shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who will also be a free agent this winter, and veteran right-hander Dylan Bundy, who is under club control through 2021.
