Rays Acquire Dickerson From Rockies, MLB News

The Rockies' crowded outfield just wasn't big enough for Corey Dickerson.

The Tampa Bay Rays acquired Dickerson from Colorado for left-handed reliever Jake McGee in a trade Thursday that also sent a minor leaguer to each team.

The Rays got third baseman Kevin Padlo, and the Rockies got right-hander German Marquez.

In another move, Tampa Bay reached a one-year, $4.75 million deal with free-agent first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce.

Colorado had an abundance of left-handed-hitting outfielders with the recent signing of Gerardo Parra. Dickerson, who is not yet eligible for salary arbitration, was deemed expendable over the likes of Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Blackmon.

Dickerson, 26, hit .304 last year with 10 homers and 31 RBIs in 65 games. He was limited early in the season because of plantar fasciitis and then later because of broken ribs he suffered while diving for a ball.

"It's always hard to give up somebody that you've enjoyed watching grow up in the organization and who's obviously a very talented hitter," Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich said during a conference call Thursday night. "You have to give up something to get something. He's got a bright future if he can stay healthy."

He is joining a team that also has a surplus of outfielders. Tampa Bay's roster includes Desmond Jennings, Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr. and Brandon Guyer. Barring some sort of move, someone will be headed to the role of designated hitter.

Fister, Astros Agree To One-Year Contract

Doug Fister was impressed by what he perceived as the Houston Astros' will to win.

"The choice to come here is driven from the top down," Fister said Thursday after agreeing to a $7 million, one-year contract. "We're trying to win a World Series here, and that's your ultimate goal. That's why you come to the ballpark every day."

Fister can earn an additional $5 million in performance bonuses based on innings: $1 million each for 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200.

He was 5-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 15 starts and 10 relief appearances last season for Washington. He was 16-6 with a 2.41 ERA for the Nationals in 2014, when he finished eighth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

"We feel good about the person that we're getting as well as the pitcher that we're getting," Astros general manager Jeff Lunhow said. "There were other options out there. We looked at a lot of them, but we feel good about this as the piece that makes the Astros the strongest for 2016."

The 31-year-old right-hander is 65-63 with a 3.42 ERA 167 starts and 13 relief appearances in seven major league seasons that also included time with Seattle (2009-11) and Detroit (2011-13). His 1.77 walks per nine innings is the lowest among active pitchers with 1,000 or more innings.

Walt Williams Dies

Walt Williams, an outfielder who played for four major league teams in the 1960s and '70s and was best known for his nickname, "No Neck," has died.

His wife, Ester, said her husband died of a heart attack Saturday in Abilene. He was 72.

A contact hitter who rarely walked or struck out, Williams made it to the big leagues with the Houston Colt .45s in 1964, was sent back to the minors and returned in 1967 with the White Sox. He spent six seasons in Chicago, moved to Cleveland for 1973 and closed his big league career with two seasons with the New York Yankees.

Ester Williams says her husband got the nickname during his first year in the majors, though he wasn't thrilled with it. A coach who dubbed him "No Neck" told him people are often remembered because of their nicknames.

Ester Williams said her husband followed all sports, so much so that he regularly left the TV on and tuned to ESPN all night. He was full of energy all of his life, she said.

"I called him the Energizer Bunny," she said. "He never was still. He always had to do something. He loved to be outside. He didn't like to be cooped up inside."

Williams had a .270 big league batting average with 33 homers and 173 RBIs. His two best seasons were in Chicago. He was sixth in the AL with a .304 batting average in 1969, when he had 22 doubles, and batted .294 with 17 doubles, eight homers and 35 RBIs in 1971.

He had just 126 walks and 211 strikeouts in 2,555 plate appearances.