NEW YORK — The Mets finally landed the bat they were looking for in Yoenis Cespedes just ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, and Cole Hamels confirmed he blocked a trade to Houston before Philadelphia dealt its ace to Texas.
Sixteen trades were made Friday ahead of the annual deadline for deals without waivers, but San Diego was among the buyers, not the sellers, to the surprise of some.
Hamels was the only top starting pitcher dealt following earlier trades that sent Scott Kazmir to Houston, Johnny Cueto to Kansas City and David Price to Toronto. The Blue Jays scheduled a blowout news conference at Rogers Centre to introduce Price, but instead the left-hander was sidetracked by a blowout to one of the tires on his gray sports car
Cespedes, eligible for free agency after the season, hit .293 with 18 home runs and 61 RBI in 102 games for the Tigers. Seeking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006, the Mets have a talented starting rotation but rank last in the majors in runs and batting average, and 29th in on-base percentage and slugging.
Texas completed its deal to acquire Hamels and left-handed reliever Jake Diekman for left-hander Matt Harrison and five prospects. The Rangers will receive $9.5 million — $7 million in 2016 and $2.5 million in 2018 — to offset part of the contract for Hamels, who is due $22.5 million per season through 2018 with a club option for 2019.
Hamels, 6-7 with a 3.64 ERA, figures to be part of a rotation next year with Japanese ace Yu Darvish, who had Tommy John surgery in March.
Among other deals:
— The Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander Dan Haren and cash from Miami and right-hander Tommy Hunter from Baltimore for outfielder Junior Lake.
— The Orioles got outfielder Gerardo Parra from Milwaukee.
— San Diego obtained left-hander Marc Rzepczynski from Cleveland.
— Pittsburgh got left-hander J.A. Happ from Seattle and first baseman Michael Morse from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
— Minnesota acquired right-hander Kevin Jepsen from Tampa Bay.
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