CLEVELAND -- The Guardians traded starter Cal Quantrill to the Rockies on Friday for minor league catcher Kody Huff.
Quantrill had an injury-plagued 2023 season for Cleveland, a year after he won 15 games and helped the Guardians win the American League Central. The team designated the 28-year-old pitcher for assignment earlier this week.
He went 4-7 with a 5.24 ERA in 19 games in 2023 while twice going on the injured list for lengthy stints with shoulder problems. Quantrill was acquired by Cleveland in 2020 at the trade deadline from San Diego.
Cleveland has an abundance of young pitchers, making Quantrill expendable. Also, the team wasn't ready to pay him more than the $6 million for next season he would have gotten after salary arbitration.
Huff, 22, spent last season with Class A Fresno in the California League. He batted .262 with five home runs and 36 RBIs in 86 games. The Rockies selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 draft after he played three seasons at Stanford.
Later in the day, the Guardians swapped relievers with San Diego and acquired right-hander Scott Barlow from the Padres in exchange for Enyel De Los Santos.
The 30-year-old Barlow is back in the AL Central after spending most of his big league career with the Kansas City Royals.
Ahead of the 8 p.m. deadline to offer 2024 contracts to unsigned players on 40-man rosters, the Guardians agreed to a one-year deal with outfielder Ramon Laureano.
Laureano made a positive impact after being claimed off waivers from Oakland on Aug. 7. The 29-year-old batted .243 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 41 games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
