Twins trade starter J.A. Happ to Cardinals for relievers John Gant, Evan Sisk

The Minnesota Twins continued to take advantage of the fast-approaching MLB trade deadline on Friday, as they sent starting pitcher J.A. Happ to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for relievers John Gant and Evan Sisk.

In addition, cash considerations were also in the mix for the Cardinals.

Happ started 19 games for the Twins this season, going 5-6 with a 6.77 ERA. The 38-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Twins this past offseason.

As for the newcomers, Gant has gone 4-6 with a 3.42 ERA, with opponents posting a .229/.365/.343 slash line in 25 games (14 starts) this season for St. Louis. In 11 outings out of the Cardinals bullpen since June 28, the six-foot, four-inch, 200-pound right-hander has posted a 1.54 ERA in just over 11 innings with a .167 opponent batting average. He opened the season in St. Louis’s starting rotation, posting a 3.76 ERA in just over 64 innings pitched as a starter.

The 28-year-old was drafted in the 21st round by the New York Mets in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft and made his debut in 2016 with the Atlanta Braves, but was later acquired by the Cardinals during the 2016 offseason.

The 24-year-old Sisk has gone 2-0 with four saves, a 3.31 ERA, 20 walks, 46 strikeouts and a .246 opponent batting average in 26 relief appearances combined across Single-A and Double-A this season. The Pineville, North Carolina native was selected by St. Louis in the 16th round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the College of Charleston, where he was teammates with current Twins pitcher Bailey Ober. Sisk is expected to be assigned to Double-A Witchita.