KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Bradley Zimmer, the former No.1 pick who could never recapture the promise of his 2017 season, has been traded by the Guardians to Toronto.
The Guardians received right-hander Anthony Castro. He will join the team Saturday in Kansas City when they resume their season-opening four-game series against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Castro will pitch out of the bullpen.
Castro, 26, opened this season with Class AAA Buffalo, Toronto’s top farm club. Last seaon he posted a 1.80 ERA in 10 relief appearances there and went 1-2 with a save and a 4.74 ERA in 25 relief appearances with the Blue Jays.
In those 25 games, Castro struck out 32 in 24 2/3 innings and walked eight. He made his big league debut with the Tigers in 2021, pitching one game for Detroit.
Zimmer, who did not play in Thursday’s season-opening 3-1 loss to the Royals, is coming off a miserable spring. He hit .156, striking out 16 times in 32 at-bats.
Cleveland drafted Zimmer in the first round in 2014. He made his big-league debut in 2017, playing great defense in center field, stealing 18 bases in 19 attempts and showing promise at the plate as he hit .241 (72-for-299) with eight homers and 39 RBI.
In 2018, however, Zimmer injured his right shoulder after being sent to Class AAA Columbus and needed surgery. He didn’t see regular playing time again in the big leagues until last season when he hit .227 (68-for-299) with eight homers and 35 RBI. He hit two of the longest home runs by any Indians player last year, but he also struck out 120 times.
The trade of Zimmer opens right field to rookie Steven Kwan. In Thursday’s opener, Kwan walked twice and recorded his first big-league hit, a ninth-inning single.
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