Baltimore Orioles Trade for Steve Pearce
On the last day before the trade deadline, the first-place Baltimore Orioles made a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for utility-man Steve Pearce, for minor league catcher Jonah Heim.
The Orioles have acquired INF/OF Steve Pearce from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league C Jonah Heim.
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 1, 2016
Pearce was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. During his five years in Pittsburgh, Pearce hit for a .232 batting average with nine home runs. After his time with the Pirates, Pearce spent the majority of his career bouncing from team to team; including stints with the Orioles, the Houston Astros, the New York Yankees and the Rays.
Return to Baltimore
With today’s trade to Baltimore, Pearce will be entering his third run with the Orioles. Orioles General Manger, Dan Duquette, said, “[Pearce] is a proven versatile veteran player who gives our club more punch and stronger defense wherever he is in the lineup.”
Between his two stints with the Orioles, Pearce has had a .816 OPS, 6.5 WAR and hit a total of 43 home runs. The Orioles currently lead the American League East by just .5 game, and will need Pearce to be the offense force that he was with the Rays last year, when he had a .908 OPS and a .309 batting average.
Jonah Heim
For sending Pearce back to Baltimore, the Rays will acquire Single-A catcher, Heim, who currently plays for the Frederick Keys in the Carolina League. Heim was drafted in 2013 in the fourth round, and is currently batting .216, with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
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