Tigers trade for Rangers’ Soria

7/23/2014

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers traded two young pitchers Wednesday night to acquire aid for their struggling bullpen, getting Joakim Soria from Texas for Corey Knebel and minor leaguer Jake Thompson.

Soria is 1-3 with 17 saves and a 2.70 ERA in 35 appearances for the Rangers. He has struck out 42 and walked only four in 33 1/​3 innings. He played five seasons with Kansas City.

The contract for Soria, 30, who missed all of 2012 and the first half of the 2013 season following Tommy John surgery, includes a $7 million club option for 2015.

Knebel, 22, began this year with Double-A Erie and has pitched in four games with Triple-A Toledo, posting a 1-1 record with two saves and a 1.96 ERA. Knebel had a 6.23 ERA in eight relief appearances with the Tigers.

Thompson, 20, is a right-hander who pitched in this year’s Futures Game. He made 16 starts for Hi-A Lakeland and one for Erie and has a 3.13 ERA this season.