Orioles acquire four players from Braves for Gausman and O'Day

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired right-hander Evan Phillips, infielder Jean Carlos Encarnación, catcher Brett Cumberland and left-hander Bruce Zimmermann, and International Signing Bonus Slot Money from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for right-handers Kevin Gausman and Darren O'Day. Phillips has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk, while Encarnación has been assigned to Class-A Delmarva, and Cumberland and Zimmerman have been assigned to Double-A Bowie.

Phillips, 23, made 31 appearances for Triple-A Gwinnett this season, going 4-4 with eight saves, a 1.99 ERA (9 ER/40.2 IP), and 59 strikeouts. In 132 career minor league games (one start), he has gone 17-15 with 23 saves, a 3.61 ERA (74 ER/184.1 IP), and 211 strikeouts. He made his Major League debut on July 3, and has appeared in four games for the Braves. He was named an International League Mid-Season All-Star this season, and a Carolina League All-Star and Arizona Fall League Rising Star in 2016. Phillips was originally selected in the 17th round of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft by Atlanta. Phillips is a native of Salisbury, Md.

Encarnación, 20, batted .288/.314/.463 (104-for-361) with 23 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs, 45 runs, and 57 RBI in 97 games for Class-A Rome. Over 184 career minor league games, Encarnación hit .293/.328/.436 (204-for-697) with 37 doubles, 12 triples, 13 home runs, 94 runs, and 95 RBI. He currently ranks in the top 10 in the South Atlantic League in hits, doubles, RBI, slugging percentage, and total bases (167). He is ranked as the Braves 14th-best prospect, according to MLB.com. He was originally signed by the Braves as a non-drafted free agent on May 10, 2016.

Cumberland, 23, batted .228/.357/.389 (68-for-298) with 15 doubles, 11 home runs, 41 runs, 39 RBI, and 53 walks in 87 games between Class-A Advanced Florida and Double-A Mississippi. He spent the majority of the season with Florida, appearing in 82 games and hitting .236/.367/.407 (66-for-280) with 15 doubles, 11 home runs, 40 runs, 39 RBI, and 52 walks. He is a two-time Mid-Season All-Star and was named a South Atlantic League Player of the Week in 2017 with Class-A Rome. In 243 career minor league games, he has batted .242/.373/.404 (198-for-817) with 53 doubles, 25 home runs, 100 runs, and 138 RBI. He currently ranks as the 30th-best prospect in the Braves organization according to MLB.com. He was originally selected by Atlanta in the competitive balance round (No. 76 overall) in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft.

Zimmerman, 23, split the season between Class-A Rome and Double-A Mississippi, going a combined 9-4 with a 2.86 ERA (36 ER/113.1 IP) with 125 strikeouts in 20 starts. He began the season with Rome in the South Atlantic League, posting a record of 7-3 with a 2.76 ERA (26 ER/84.2 IP) and 18 walks against 99 strikeouts in 14 starts. He was promoted to Mississippi on June 28, and went 2-1 with a 3.14 ERA (10 ER/28.2 IP) in six starts at the Double-A level. Zimmerman was named the SAL Pitcher of the Week for the period ending on May 20 (7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K) and was a SAL Mid-Season All-Star. In 31 career minor league starts, he has gone 9-5 with a 2.90 ERA (44 ER/136.2 IP). He was originally selected by the Braves in the fifth round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft. Zimmerman is a native of Baltimore and attended Loyola Blakefield High School.

Gausman, 27, went 5-8 with a 4.43 ERA (61 ER/124.0 IP) with 104 strikeouts in 21 starts for the Orioles this season. He went 39-51 with a 4.22 ERA (358 ER/763.2 IP) with 697 strikeouts in 150 games (127 starts). He tied for the Major League lead in starts in 2017 with 34. Gausman was originally selected by the Orioles in the first round (No. 4 overall) of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.

O'Day, 35, went 0-2 with two saves, a 3.60 ERA (8 ER/20.0 IP), and four walks against 27 strikeouts in 20 games for the Orioles this season. In seven seasons with Baltimore, he went 28-14 with 19 saves, a 2.40 ERA (100 ER/374.1 IP), and 424 strikeouts across 391 games. He owns a career record of 36-19 with 21 saves and a 2.56 ERA (158 ER/555.0 IP) across 577 appearances in 11 seasons in the Major Leagues. O'Day, a 2015 All-Star, was claimed off waivers by the Orioles from the Texas Rangers on November 2, 2011. He was originally signed by the Los Angeles Angels as a non-drafted free agent on May 29, 2006.