Twins Acquire RHP John Gant for J.A. Happ

[Seth Stohs]

The Twins have an agreement to acquire St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Gant and LHP prospect Evan Sisk in exchange for LHP J.A. Happ. 

The Twins are in St. Louis, and J.A. Happ will have to move from the road clubhouse to the home clubhouse. 

John Gant will turn 29 next week. He was originally the 21st round pick of the Mets out of high school in Florida. He began the season in the Cardinals starting rotation but moved to the bullpen. He is 4-6 with a 3.42 ERA. In 76 1/3 innings, he has walked 56 and struck out 56. Hence, his WHIP is at 1.57. 

Lefty Evan Sisk went to the College of Charleston with Bailey Ober. This season, he has split time between High-A and Double-A. Overall, he has pitched in 26 games. He has a 3.31 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. In 32 2/3 innings, he has 20 walks and 46 strikeouts. 

That is the type of player that can be acquired for the 38-year-old Happ. In his 15th MLB season, he is 5-6 with a 6.77 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. In 98 1/3 innings, he has given up 125 hits, walked 21 and struck out 77 batters. He had a near no-hitter early in the season, but has really struggled. He leads MLB in allowing barrels. 

While Gant isn't a prospect - he's been in the big leagues as far back as 2016 - this is a lottery ticket for the rest of the season. Clearly Gant has control and command issues, but he's got decent stuff. 

Dan Hayes reports that the Twins acquired John Gant from St. Louis in exchange for LHP J.A. Happ.  

How do you feel about this trade? 

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[Brock Beauchamp]

As Ayn Rand famously wrote, "Who is John Gant?"

[chpettit19]

Sent JA Happ to St Louis. Are they now the best FO ever?

[Mike Sixel]

A veteran that can't strike anyone out? Um......I guess he's the mentor this year if they deal Meada and Pineda? 

Wait? Happ for him and another guy? Wow.

[ashbury]

I was prepared to go with the standard "Great trade! (Who'd we get?)" regarding Happ. But it looks like we got a legitimate bullpen arm? I'm impressed.

/ edit - checking the K%... meh. Still an improvement.

/ edit^2 - bracing for a 0.1 IP 3 H 2 BB debut from our new bullpen acquisition. Because, Twins.

/ edit^3 - and a AA fireballer with control problems they presumably think they can fix when the Cardinals couldn't? Alrighty then!

[roger]

You must be kidding.  To get anything for Happ is amazing, flat out amazing.

Is he also a Top 50 in baseball?

[Brock Beauchamp]

I've been hard on this front office lately but they literally traded JA Happ for a live human being that plays baseball.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, Brock Beauchamp said:

I've been hard on this front office lately but they literally traded JA Happ for a live human being that plays baseball.

2!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, Mike Sixel said:

2!

Bah, now they're just being greedy.

[LewFordLives]

Someone traded for Happ?  Huh...what?

[Musk21]

AA LHP Evan Sisk is the 2nd player.

[mikelink45]

Who cares as long as Happ is gone.  Gant is 23 - 21 and has 1.8 WAR over 6 seasons.   Aged 28 - that is so much more than the bag of used baseballs I expected us to get. 

[LewFordLives]

1 minute ago, mikelink45 said:

Who cares as long as Happ is gone.  Gant is 23 - 21 and has 1.8 WAR over 6 seasons.   Aged 28 - that is so much more than the bag of used baseballs I expected us to get. 

And really dirty, old baseballs, like the kind we played with in the backyard. Not the gently used batting practice balls.

[Mike Sixel]

Since moving to the bullpen in June, he's given up 2 runs in 11 appearances. And they got another guy. Unreal.

[Unwinder]

This trade deadline is good now.

[RpR]

He hit two home runs in 2018.

Maybe he can pinch hit for the rookie outfielders the Twins are using now.

[Major League Ready]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Since moving to the bullpen in June, he's given up 2 runs in 11 appearances. And they got another guy. Unreal.

Are you having a good day, Mike?  Are you going to need a sedative if they get something for Pineda?

[roger]

Do we know there is a second player?  And Gant isn't a prospect, he has been with the Cards for several years.  Is he a free agent at years end?

There is still 32 minutes remaining.  Could they possibly still move Donaldson?  Or Pineda?

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, Major League Ready said:

Are you having a good day, Mike?  Are you going to need a sedative if they get something for Pineda?

I got a giant weed/bush out of the garden, so that's been good. I actually wrote a couple pages in my draft novel, so that's good. I am very conflicted on the Berrios deal. While it is a good deal, Jose is a legit good pitcher. But getting something for Happ? Mind. Boggling.

[Original_JB]

The Twins are also sending cash. I just hope it's less than $10M.

[Dodecahedron]

Good one.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, roger said:

Do we know there is a second player?  And Gant isn't a prospect, he has been with the Cards for several years.  Is he a free agent at years end?

There is still 32 minutes remaining.  Could they possibly still move Donaldson?  Or Pineda?

 

[Twodogs]

Wow!  Maybe they can get some baseballs for Robles and Colome?

[21bdp21]

7 minutes ago, LewFordLives said:

And really dirty, old baseballs, like the kind we played with in the backyard. Not the gently used batting practice balls.

Nah I thought it would be the bag a the baseballs we got the dog fetch out of the drainage swamp by fake throwing the last one she brought back. 

 

[Brandon]

Gaunt was quite the vulture in 2019 going 11 - 1 from the pen in 66 games.

Sick is having a Colone type season in the minors decent pitching but tons of unearned runs to blow games.

[USAFChief]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I got a giant weed/bush out of the garden, so that's been good. 

I think it's really cool when people grow their own vegetables in a garden.

[twins_89]

Finding a trade for a 38 year old pitcher that has been truly terrible for 3 straight months is amazing.

[roger]

Clear to me, the Twins are doing everything possible to bring a championship to Wichita and St. Paul in their first year's with the organzation.

[Major League Ready]

6 minutes ago, roger said:

Do we know there is a second player?  And Gant isn't a prospect, he has been with the Cards for several years.  Is he a free agent at years end?

There is still 32 minutes remaining.  Could they possibly still move Donaldson?  Or Pineda?

I renew my prediction from yesterday that the trade comes in at 2:55.  I am a Donaldson supporter but I have a man crush on Jose Miranda.  What a story that guy is.  I would be just fine with giving him a shot a 3B next year in the wake of today's trades and what they mean to 2022.

[lukeduke1980]

I think the Shoemaker leak was encouraged by the Twins to make teams think that the Twins Way is the problem