The Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays are in agreement on a deal that sends outfielder Jordan Luplow and right-handed pitcher DJ Johnson to Tampa Bay for right-hander Peyton Battenfield.
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Luplow, who has not played since May 26 due to an ankle injury, has a career slash line of .222/.327/.452 with an OPS of .779. On the season, his numbers have dipped to .173/.331/.439. The expectation is that Luplow will be activated off the 60-day injured list shortly after joining the Rays.
Johnson appeared in one game this season. Over 1.2 innings, he amassed an ERA of 5.40. The 31-year-old has a career ERA of 4.91 and will serve as an extra arm in the bullpen if needed. For now, though, he will join Triple-A Durham.
Since becoming a pro in 2019, Battenfield has a 1.94 ERA over 106.2 innings with 141 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.863. The 23-year-old pitcher was a ninth-round selection of the Houston Astros out of Oklahoma State. After a rough college career, he has really settled down and boased a lot of potential for his age.
After trading for Myles Straw earlier today, the Indians had no real use left for Luplow. This move allows them to clear a man off the 40-man roster while adding a young, bullpen arm to develop. The Rays will be adding a player in Luplow that primarily plays against left-handed pitchers.
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