ATLANTA — To cut costs and create playing time for prospects, the Pirates traded third baseman David Freese to the Dodgers and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to the Yankees late Friday night.
The deals were announced shortly after Freese started at third base in the Pirates' 3-2 victory over the Braves at SunTrust Park, barely before the deadline for him and Hechavarria to be eligible for the postseason. In return, Neal Huntington acquired Jesus Manuel Valdez, a 20-year-old infielder who played this season for the Dodgers' Dominican Summer League team, and cash or a player to be named later from the Yankees.
Freese went 1 for 4 with an RBI single Friday night, and the 35-year-old batted .282 in 94 games this season. Hechavarria, 29, played in only 15 games for the team after being acquired from the Rays on Aug. 4, and he expressed a desire to return to the Pirates next season. The moves clear two spots on the 40-man roster, while also saving money, as Huntington explained in a statement to announce Freese's departure.
"We made the difficult decision to trade David to give him an opportunity to pursue a World Series championship this season," he said. "We truly appreciate all that David has contributed to the Pirates these three seasons and wish him well. This move will free up valuable playing time for some of our younger players, while clearing some salary. We are also pleased to add a player with interesting power, athleticism and defensive versatility to our system in Valdez.”
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