The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to trade closer Ken Giles to the Houston Astros for pitchers Vincent Velasquez and Brett Oberholtzer, along with a third significant prospect, according to ESPN's Jim Bowden and multiple reports.
The deal was first reported by Fox 26 in Houston.
The Astros, who had the lowest average fastball velocity of any bullpen in the majors last season at 91.1 mph, have been talking to a number of teams in an attempt to add a power arm to the back of their bullpen.
Giles' average fastball velocity of 96.5 mph was the 11th-highest among big league relievers who pitched at least 50 innings last season. Giles threw 193 fastballs at 98 mph or higher; Astros relievers as a group threw eight.
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The teams initially talked about a package led by right-hander Lance McCullers, sources said, but Houston has been firm about not wanting to trade him. Talk turned toward Velazquez, a 23-year-old right-hander who made 19 big league appearances for the Astros this year and projects as a No. 3 starter, scouts say.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14332470/philadelphia-phillies-trade-ken-giles-houston-astros
