NEW YORK (AP) _ The Houston Astros have acquired ace Zack Greinke, adding another All-Star to a formidable rotation that already included Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole.
The AL West leaders got Greinke in a startling trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks for four minor leaguers on Wednesday. It came right before the deadline to complete deals to have players eligible for the postseason.
Greinke pitched five innings earlier in the day at Yankee Stadium, giving up two runs to New York. He is 10-4 with a 2.90 ERA this season.
The Astros won the 2017 World Series and lost the 2018 AL Championship Series to Boston. They loaded up again with the 35-year-old Greinke, getting a six-time All-Star and the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner.
Greinke’s addition gives the Astros four starting pitchers with ERAs in the top 15 in the majors this year. Verlander is fifth with a 2.73 ERA, Greinke is ninth, Cole is 11th at 2.94 and Wade Miley ranks 14th at 3.06.
Verlander leads the AL in wins (14) and ERA, and Cole tops with the majors with 212 strikeouts.
Greinke has a $31.5 million salary this year as part of a $206.5 million, six-year contract. He is owed $32 million in both 2020 and 2021, and gets a $2 million bonus for being traded.
The Astros, who began the day with an eight-game division lead over Oakland, also acquired two other pitchers, getting starter Aaron Sanchez and reliever Joe Biagini from Toronto.