The Houston Astros added another big name to their collection on Saturday, acquiring right-handed starter Gerrit Cole from the Pittsburgh Pirates for four players: third baseman Colin Moran, outfielder Jason Martin, and pitchers Joe Musgrove and Michael Feliz, the teams confirmed.

 

Cole, 27, made 127 starts over parts of five seasons with the Pirates. Over that time, he accumulated a 3.50 ERA (112 ERA+) and 3.62 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His best season came in 2015, when he made the All-Star Game and finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting. Times haven't been as sweet recently. His ERA+ has dropped in each of the last two years, and he allowed a career-worst 1.4 home runs per nine innings in 2017.

 

Cole has had the reputation for having better stuff than results dating back to his collegiate days at UCLA. He throws a 96 mph fastball in addition to a hard slider, a curveball, and a changeup -- each of which generated whiffs on at least 20 percent of the swings taken against them last season.

 

Cole has two years of team control remaining. He's set to become a free agent after 2019. He should help cover the Astros' hole if they decide to let Dallas Keuchel walk after the season.