The Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros have finalized their deal involving closer Ken Giles, but with a twist.
The Astros get Giles, the hard-throwing bullpen piece they've been looking for, but the Phillies receive former No. 1 draft pick Mark Appel in the deal. The right-hander had not previously been reported as being in the deal.
In addition, the Phillies receive pitchers Vincent Velasquez, Thomas Eshelman, Harold Arauz and Brett Oberholtzer. The Phillies are sending, along with Giles, young shortstop Jonathan Arauz (not related to Harold).
The 24-year-old Appel was the top pick in the 2013 draft by the Astros. He is 16-11 with a 5.12 ERA in two minor league seasons.
Two of the past three No. 1 picks in the amateur draft have been traded this week. The Diamondbacks traded last year's No. 1, Dansby Swanson, to the Braves in the Shelby Miller deal.
The Astros, who had the lowest average fastball velocity of any bullpen in the majors last season at 91.1 mph, have been talking to a number of teams in an attempt to add a power arm to the back of their bullpen.
Giles' average fastball velocity of 96.5 mph was the 11th-highest among big league relievers who pitched at least 50 innings last season. He threw 193 fastballs at 98 mph or higher; Astros relievers as a group threw eight.
Giles, 25, also has had back-to-back seasons with an ERA under 2.00 and has struck out 151 hitters in 115⅔ major league innings. He became the Phillies' closer late in the season after the trade of Jonathan Papelbon.
The Phillies see themselves as being several years away from contention, so they've been looking to add depth and as many young arms to their system as they can collect.
Asked what the Phillies have been looking for in return for Giles, a baseball executive who has been speaking with them replied: "Pitching. And more pitching."
Information from ESPN.com senior writer Jayson Stark and ESPN Stats & Info was used in this report.