Notes: Brewers acquire left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeño in trade with Chicago White Sox
WASHINGTON - The Brewers made a move to strengthen their well-used bullpen Friday when they traded for Chicago White Sox left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeño.
In exchange for Cedeño, the Brewers traded two players from their rookie club in Helena, Montana, outfielder Bryan Connell, 19, and right-hander Johan Dominguez, 22.
Players must be acquired before midnight Friday EDT to be eligible for postseason play. Cedeño is expected to join the Brewers on Saturday.
The Brewers made even bigger news later in the day when they acquired Washington left-hander Gio Gonzalez, adding another starting pitcher to the mix for the final month as well.
Cedeño has appeared in 33 games for the White Sox, going 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA. In 25 1/3 innings, he has allowed 19 hits and 13 walks with 28 strikeouts. He has a 1.260 WHIP and had limited left-handed hitters to a .209 batting average and .603 OPS.
Cedeño has pitched over parts of eight seasons in the majors with Houston, Washington, Tampa Bay and the White Sox. Overall, he is 10-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 234 appearances with 168 strikeouts in 167 2/3 innings.
"It’s a good guy to use in high leverage, or even lower leverage to help us get through an inning," Brewers assistant general manager Matt Arnold said. "When rosters expand, it’s nice to move guys (out of the bullpen) quicker.
"You can use this guy in a number of different scenarios. You could use him earlier in the game against a tougher lefty. I think that’s the way he’s been used in the past.
"He’s been a guy we’ve had our eye on. He has a long track record of getting left-handers out. Especially when the rosters expand, you can use this type of pitcher really effectively."
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Cedeño is the second relief pitcher the Brewers have acquired from the White Sox this season. On July 26, they traded for veteran right-hander Joakim Soria, who has been a key late-inning performer.
Cedeño can't be a free agent until after the 2019 season, so the Brewers have another year of control of him if they desire. He began this season at Class AAA Charlotte, where he went 0-0 with a 1.25 ERA in 20 games, with 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.
Rosters can be expanded beyond 25 players Saturday, so the Brewers will not be required to send a player out to add Cedeño. They did have to open a 40-man roster spot, which they did by outrighting infielder Nate Orf to Class AAA Colorado Springs.
"We're just trying to fortify the roster the best we can, and give ourselves depth and options, for whatever happens the final month," manager Craig Counsell said. "He's having a nice little season, doing a good job. We'll use him situationally. He'll add to the group down there.
"The whole calculus of this changes in September. We've already started meetings about it because it changes a lot of the decisions we make, and how we make them. With more relievers, it gives you the option to consider more one-hitter matchups."
In 48 games combined with the Dominican Summer League Brewers and Helena, Connell, a native of Panama, was batting .239 with a .787 OPS, seven home runs and 24 RBI. Playing for those two clubs as well as the Arizona Brewers, Dominguez was 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA in 23 games, with 36 strikeouts in 33 innings.
Jennings avoids serious injury: Arnold confirmed the addition of Cedeño had nothing to do with the slight ankle injury suffered Thursday by Dan Jennings. The lefty reliever rolled his left ankle during a rundown play in Cincinnati and though it appeared serious at first, Jennings was not even limping Friday.
"It's always scary when you roll your ankle," Jennings said. "I tried to make a sharp cut to get out of the way. You don't want to interfere with the runner. That was the only thing on my mind."
"It's my push-off foot (off the rubber). I don't think there should be any real lasting effects. It feels a lot better today than yesterday."