ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Braves have acquired outfielder Preston Tucker from the Houston Astros for a player to be named or cash.
Tucker hit .250 with 24 homers and drove in 96 runs for Triple-A Fresno last season. He hit .243 with 13 homers as a rookie with the Astros in 2015 but hit only .164 in 48 games with Houston in 2016.
Tucker could contend for playing time in left field for Atlanta after Matt Kemp was traded to the Dodgers in a five-player deal on Saturday. The trade opened a spot for top prospect Ronald Acuna, but Acuna is only 20 and has yet to make his major league debut.
Braves right-hander Luke Jackson, who had a 4.62 ERA in 43 games out of the bullpen last season, was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the team’s 40-man roster.
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