LAWTON TO PIRATES
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired outfielder Matt Lawton from the Cleveland Indians for reliever Arthur Rhodes.
What does it give the Pittsburgh Pirates
After trading away catcher Jason Kendall about a week earlier, this move fills the hole on offense left by the backstop and then some. Lawton's coming off arguably his best overall season with the bat, becoming a 20/20 man, and he could become more of a stolen-base threat in the National League. He's also a strong defensive outfielder, who fits in at right field for the Bucs. The one caveat when it comes to Lawton, though, is his history of injury problems.
What does it give the Cleveland Guardians
The Indians mark Rhodes' third team in two weeks, having come to Pittsburgh in the Kendall deal. The veteran southpaw has spent a career as a top setup man but took a hit last year in Oakland when they tried to make him a closer. He heads to Cleveland knowing his role will be more familiar, as their top left-handed setup man.
Fantasy impact
