PHOENIX (AP) The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired hard-throwing

PHOENIX (AP) The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired hard-throwing closer Keone Kela from the Texas Rangers for minor league starter Taylor Hearn and a player to be named.The deal was announced late Monday night after the Rangers’ 9-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.”It was a challenging trade http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-jack-morris-jersey ,” Rangers GM Jon Daniels said. ”Keone has been awesome the last couple years, a dominant closer for us. Ultimately felt where we are, it made sense to consider these kind of deals where we can get multiple players.”The surging Pirates are 3 1/2 games behind Arizona for the final NL wild-card spot, with Atlanta and Colorado also ahead of them in the standings. The Pirates entered Monday with a 4.23 bullpen ERA, 10th best in the NL.”Kela is an experienced, quality, high-leverage reliever who projects to be a significant addition to our late-game options for the next few seasons,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said.The 25-year-old Kela has 24 saves and a 3.44 ERA this season. He will be arbitration eligible beginning next season and will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season.Kela learned of the deal after being called from the bullpen in the seventh inning Monday night.”I’m still a little shocked Michael Fulmer Jersey , but I’m excited that it’s a new beginning, a new journey that I get to venture into,” he said. ”Just forever grateful for the opportunity to play here in Texas, all the support from the fans.”Hearn is 3-6 with a 3.12 ERA in 19 starts at Double-A Altoona this year. The 23-year-old left-hander is a graduate of Royse City High School, located about 50 miles west of Globe Life Park in Arlington.— Minnesota Twins All-Star slugger Joe Mauer has been the heart and soul of thie team for over a decade, but the future Hall of Famer admitted that 2018 may be his swan song season.In an interview with聽La Velle E. Neal III聽of the Star Tribune, the 35-year-old Mauer talked about his consideration of retiring, but that many factors will come into play as he makes a decision."There's a lot that goes into it than just Leonys Martin Jersey , 'Do you want to play?' There's a lot of different dynamics that go into it," Mauer said. "I owe it to myself and my family to sit down and think about those things. I have had some conversations with some people close to me and it's amazing...It's a big decision, and I want to make sure I'm 100 percent about it."advertisingDespite his age, Mauer continues to produce well at the plate as a contact hitter. Entering play on Thursday, he's batting .272 with six home runs, 43 RBI and an OPS of .717. Those stats certainly don't line up with what Mauer tuned in earlier in his career, but he's still hitting very well for contact.Mauer is one of the greatest players in Twins' history, winning the 2009 AL MVP while being named to six All-Star Games. Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY SportsThe three-time AL batting champion is a free agent at the end of the season http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-wilson-jersey , though it's hard to envision Minnesota not聽bringing Mauer back, should he decide he wants to keep on playing.advertisingIf Mauer does retire, the state of Minnesota won't soon forget all of his contributions to their baseball team. Since Mauer broke into the majors in 2004, the Twins have won four AL Central division titles, and they reached the 2017 American League Wild Card game.Given his powerful bat and strong defense behind the plate as a catcher, Mauer should be an easy induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He's racked up the individual awards and hit with consistency like few others in this era.The only thing missing on Mauer's impressive resume is a World Series ring. He's still one of the most feared hitters in the AL, so nobody should be surprised if Mauer gives it another year.advertisingBut he is warning fans that these last few weeks of 2018聽may be the last time we see him on the field again.