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Houston had a strong first half and added depth in the days leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The Angels are looking to gain ground with the Rangers also competing for a Wild Card spot.
Houston Astros
Record: 61-50
Games back in Division: --
Games back of Wild Card: --
Key Moves:
- Acquired Scott Kazmir from the Athletics in exchange for Daniel Mengden and Jacob Nottingham.
- Acquired Carlos Gomez, Mike Fiers, and international spending rights in exchange for Domingo Santana, Brett Phillips, Josh Hader, and Adrian Houser.
Injuries:
- George Springer, right wrist fracture
- Brad Peacock, left intercostal strain
- Samuel Deduno, lower back strain
Recap: After a solid first half, the Astros continued to add notable pieces to their roster. Kazmir and Fiers are both top of the rotation-type arms and the addition of Gomez gives Houston a valuable outfield bat. The Astros appear confident they can compete and did not hesitate to acquire some of the top talent available.
Los Angeles Angels
Record: 58-50
Games back in Division: 1.5
Games back of Wild Card: --
Key Moves:
- Acquired David Murphy from the Indians in exchange for prospect Eric Stamets.
- Acquired David DeJesus from the Rays for Eduar Lopez.
- Acquired Shane Victorino from the Red Sox in exchange for Josh Rutledge.
Injuries:
- C.J. Wilson, left elbow impingement and bone spurs
- Jered Weaver, left hip inflammation
- Tyler Skaggs, recovering from Tommy John surgery
- Matt Joyce, concussion
- David Freese, fractured right index finger
- Collin Cowgill, right wrist sprain
Recap: The Angels addressed their outfield needs by adding a pair of veterans in DeJesus and Murphy. Victorino should prove to be a valuable bat off the bench and can provide speed when he is in the lineup. Los Angeles' pitching staff and offense have had success in 2015 and the club has positioned itself to compete with the Astros and for a Wild Card spot.
Texas Rangers
Record: 54-54
Games back in Division: 5.5
Games back of Wild Card: 3.5
Key Moves:
- Acquired Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman, and cash from the Phillies in exchange for Matt Harrison, Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Alec Asher, Nick Williams, and Jerad Eickhoff.
- Acquired Sam Dyson from the Marlins in exchange for Tomas Telis and Cody Ege.
- Claimed Bobby Wilson from the Rays.
Injuries:
- Nicholas Tepesch, right ulnar nerve inflammation
- Tanner Scheppers, left knee inflammation
- Jurickson Profar, recovering from shoulder surgery
- Derek Holland, strain in left shoulder
- Yu Darvish, recovering from Tommy John surgery
- Carlos Corporan, sprained left thumb
- Lisalberto Bonilla, recovering from Tommy John surgery
- Kyle Blanks, Achilles tendinitis
Recap: Texas wanted to add a top arm to its rotation and was able to do so by acquiring Hamels. Dyson could prove to be a valuable bullpen arm for the Rangers, who remain in the hunt within the division and in the Wild Card standings.
Seattle Mariners
Record: 51-59
Games out in Division: 9.5
Games out of Wild Card: 7.5
Key Moves:
- Traded J.A. Happ to Pittsburgh in exchange for Adrian Sampson.
- Traded reliever Mark Lowe to Toronto for Rob Rasmussen, Jake Brentz, and Nick Wells.
- Traded Dustin Ackley to New York in exchange for Ramon Flores and Jose Ramirez.
- Acquired J.C. Ramirez from the Diamondbacks.
- Promoted prospect Ketel Marte.
Injuries:
- James Paxton, tendon sprain in left middle finger
- Logan Morrison, sore right thumb
- Charlie Furbush, left biceps tendinitis
Recap: Seattle did not have an eventful month of July and only made a few deals leading up to the deadline. The club added prospects in exchange for major league talent and might be focused on 2016 despite a Wild Card spot not yet being out of reach.
Oakland Athletics
Record: 49-62
Games out in Division: 12.0
Games out of Wild Card: 10.0
Key Moves:
- Traded Ben Zobrist to Kansas City in exchange for Sean Manaea and Aaron Brooks.
- Traded Tyler Clippard to the Mets for Casey Meisner.
- Traded Scott Kazmir to Houston in exchange for Daniel Mengden and Jacob Nottingham.
- Traded Ryan Cook to the Red Sox for a player to be named later.
- Acquired Felix Doubront from the Blue Jays for cash considerations.
Injuries:
- Taylor Thompson, right shoulder strain
- Jarrod Parker, recovering from right elbow surgery
- Jesse Hahn, right forearm strain
- Sean Doolittle, left shoulder strain
Recap: Oakland found itself selling come the deadline and was able to add notable prospects in exchange for Kazmir and Zobrist. The Athletics, nearly out of contention, have likely already started determining how they want their 2016 club to look.