Scott Kazmir is headed to the Astros. Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
The Houston Astros, in a hot race with the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West, acquired left-hander Scott Kazmir from the Oakland Athletics for two minor-league pitchers on Thursday.
The A’s received catcher Jacob Nottingham and right-hander Daniel Mengden.
Houston, which had led the AL West for much of the season, has fallen two games behind the streaking Angels, who have won seven in a row.
Kazmir, a 31-year-old Houston native, is 5-5 with a 2.38 ERA in the final season of the two-year, $22 million contract he signed with Oakland last year.
“Scott Kazmir is one of the best pitchers in the American League and strengthens our rotation,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said in a release. “His addition gives the Astros a better chance of reaching and succeeding in the postseason. It has been a while since the Astros have been relevant late in the summer, and winning now is a priority.”
Kazmir had been scheduled to pitch for the A’s on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Oakland. He instead will join the Astros in Kansas City on Friday. Left-hander Drew Pomeranz started for the A’s on Thursday.
Nottingham, 20, was a sixth-round pick by the Astros in 2013, and Mengden, 22, was a fourth-round choice in 2014. Both have been playing for Class A Lancaster.
