Pirates acquire Astros’ Rodriguez
The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired left-hander Wandy Rodriguez from the Houston Astros for three minor league players.
The Pirates also get cash in the trade that was announced Tuesday night. Pittsburgh is sending left-handers Rudy Owen and Colton Cain and outfielder Robbie Grossman to Houston.
Pirates general manger Neal Huntington, hoping to make the playoffs for first time since 1992, improved one of the top pitching staffs in the National League with the acquisition of Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is 7-9 with a 3.79 ERA for Houston, which has the worst record in the majors.
1912 SERIES TROPHY FOR SALE
The trophy earned by the 1912 Boston Red Sox for winning the World Series is going on the auction block.
The sterling silver trophy, presented to team manager Jake Stahl, will be auctioned Aug. 2 at Camden Yards in Baltimore during a national sports collectors convention.
The trophy’s current owner is Red Sox fan Robert Fraser. The Westwood, N.J., real estate broker says he and his wife paid $74,000 for it in 2007.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions says it expects the trophy to fetch more than $300,000.
Fraser says there were two trophies made but no one knows what happened to the other one.
JASON KENDALL RETIRES
Veteran catcher Jason Kendall, a three-time All-Star, has retired.
Kendall, 38, announced his retirement Tuesday, less than a week after signing a minor league contract with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.
Kendall was a career .288 hitter in 2,085 games for Pittsburgh (1996-2004), Oakland (2005-07), the Chicago Cubs (2007), Milwaukee (2008-09) and Kansas City (2010). He ranks fifth all-time with 2,025 games caught.
INDIANS ACQUIRE LILLIBRIDGE
The Cleveland Indians acquired veteran Brent Lillibridge from the Red Sox, adding versatility as they seek to stay in the AL Central race.
Minor-league pitcher Jose De La Torre was sent to Boston, which had acquired Lillibridge on June 24 as part of the trade that sent corner infielder Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox.
SHORT HOPS
The struggling Mets demoted starting right fielder Lucas Duda to the minor leagues. … White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski was out of the lineup Tuesday with a minor strain in his right oblique. … Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter expects to begin a rehab program next week following surgery to relieve nerve compression that left his arm and much of the right side of his body numb. … Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is recovering more quickly than expected from his sore left wrist and could be swinging a bat and hitting off a tee soon. … The Diamondbacks designated infielder Ryan Roberts for assignment. Roberts was known to fans as “Tat Man” for his multitude of tattoos.
