HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- With just a few hours before Wednesday's 3:00 trade deadline, the Astros have reportedly agreed to trade Tony Kemp to the Chicago Cubs for catcher Martin Maldonado.
Maldonado, 32, was acquired by the Astros before last year's trade deadline, and batted .231 with four home runs and 12 RBI in 41 games. He supplanted Brian McCann as the Astros number one catcher, but had just two hits in 19 postseason at bats. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals in March, but was traded to the Cubs July 15. Overall this season, he's batted .217 with six home runs in 78 games.
Kemp, 27, was a fifth round pick by the Astros in 2013. He was hitting .227 with seven home runs and 17 RBI before being designated for assigment Friday.