Rockies trade Grichuk, Cron to Angels for 2 prospects
The Colorado Rockies traded outfielder Randal Grichuk, first baseman C.J. Cron, and cash to the Los Angeles Angels for pitching prospects Jake Madden and Mason Albright, the teams announced.
Colorado is sending $2 million to the Angels, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
Grichuk is having a terrific season. The 31-year-old slashed .312/.367/.502 with eight home runs, 19 doubles, and 27 RBIs in 63 games for the Rockies.
He was originally selected by the Angels in the first round of the 2009 draft before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013.
Cron is also reuniting with the Angels after spending the first four years of his big-league career with them from 2014-17. The 33-year-old slugger owns a .773 OPS with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in 55 games this season.
Cron led the Rockies in both homers and RBIs in 2021 and 2022.
The Rockies are beefing up their farm system with the trade, nabbing the Angels' No. 8 and No. 28 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Madden was a fourth-round pick in 2022. The 21-year-old owns a 2-6 record with a 5.46 ERA and 9.2 K/9 in 14 Single-A starts this season.
Albright has also spent this campaign at Single-A. The 20-year-old left-hander is 9-4 with a 3.62 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 79 2/3 innings.
It's the latest deal by Angels general manager Perry Minasian, who has also added Mike Moustakas, Eduardo Escobar, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez with the deadline approaching and injuries leaving the team without Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Taylor Ward.
The Angels are four games back of the final wild-card spot in the American League, with superstar Shohei Ohtani set for free agency at season's end.