The Brewers and the Cleveland Indians agreed in principle to a deal for the reigning AL Cy Young on Sunday. The deal is contingent on paperwork being finished and the exchange of medical records.
The trade was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Sabathia all but confirmed the deal.
"I'm good, excited," Sabathia wrote. "It's weird leaving these guys."
Cleveland would get Double-A outfielder Matt LaPorta, who is hitting .288 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 84 games for Huntsville, and others. The other players do not include top prospects Alcides Escobar or Matt Gamel, according to the Journal Sentinel.
Trading Up
If C.C. Sabathia had pitched for the Brewers his entire career, he would be considered one of the best, if not the best, in team history. Here's why:
| • Sabathia has two 17-win, 150-strikeout seasons to his name. The Brewers have just three as a franchise in Teddy Higuera ('86, '87) and Chris Capuano ('05). | |
| • His 106 career victories would be the second most in Milwaukee history. | |
| • Sabathia has 237 career starts, which would rank second in Brewers history. | |
| • His 1,265 career strikeouts would be a Milwaukee record. |
The Brewers wanted Sabathia, who rejected a $72 million, four-year extension from the Indians during spring training, on their pitching staff in time to get him two starts before the All-Star break, according to multiple media reports. Sabathia, who is 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA this season, could debut in Milwaukee against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin told the Journal Sentinel on Saturday that a proposal was on table and he awaiting word from Indians GM Mark Shapiro.
"Mark said he'd be in touch with me," said Melvin. "I'm sure they've got to think through everything."
Laporta was scratched from Huntsville's lineup Sunday, another indication the deal was close.
Milwaukee, which hasn't made the playoffs since 1982, is second in National League standings behind the Chicago Cubs.
