Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia was traded Monday from the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers for four prospects. Sabathia, eligible for free agency after the season, went 19-7 with a 3.21 ERA last season and gives the Brewers another power pitcher to pair with Ben Sheets as Milwaukee tries to make the playoffs for the first time since 1982.
Milwaukee sent Cleveland Class AA outfielder Matt LaPorta, Class AAA left-hander Zach Jackson, Class A right-hander Rob Bryson and a player to be named.
The Indians will choose the player to be named from a select list. They consider that player to be the second-best player in the deal — a good prospect, sources told FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal. Class A third baseman Taylor Green and outfielder Lorenzo Cain are among the names under consideration.
Sabathia is the first reigning Cy Young winner to be traded since Roger Clemens was dealt to the New York Yankees after winning the award with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1998 — a sign of surrender by Cleveland that hardly anyone would have imagined going into the season.
Sabathia was scheduled to arrive in Milwaukee before Monday night’s game against Colorado and to pitch against the Rockies on Tuesday night. He also is expected to pitch against Cincinnati on Sunday, giving him a pair of starts for his new team at home leading into the All-Star break.
Also Monday, Sabathia said he no longer wants periods after the initials he uses for his first name. It was not immediately known why Sabathia wanted it that way. He was to talk to reporters later in the day.
Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio said the acquisition of Sabathia will push the team’s payroll past $90 million this season. Attanasio said the move might prevent the club from turning a profit this year, but it was made possible by increased fan support and sound financial decisions in recent years.
Sabathia had a slow start but is 6-8 with a 3.83 ERA. Cleveland scored two runs or fewer in 11 of his 18 starts.
Milwaukee’s starting pitching has been thin ever since Yovani Gallardo went on the disabled list on May 2 with a torn knee ligament that required surgery. His rehab was supposed to take four months, which gives him an outside chance of returning before the end of the season.
Sheets (10-2, 2.77 ERA) is off to the best start of his career, but the All-Star righty is in the final year of a $38.5 million, four-year contract and hasn’t wanted to talk about his upcoming free agency.
Milwaukee, which hasn’t been in the postseason since Robin Yount and Paul Molitor, fell two games short of the division title last year. The Brewers began Monday a percentage point ahead of St. Louis for the second-best record in the NL, and both teams are chasing the Chicago Cubs, who are 3 1/2 games ahead.
In winning the Sabathia sweepstakes, the Brewers outbid at least six teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could have offered a stronger overall package than Milwaukee and expanded the deal to include Indians infielder/outfielder Casey Blake.
The Dodgers also are pursuing a trade for Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson, and some of the same players would have been in their proposal for Sabathia. Their bid for Wilson is on hold, a source said, with the Dodgers planning to restructure their offer.
The Yankees also were “very heavily involved” in the Sabathia discussions, one source said, but declined to commit the necessary prospects at a time when their 2008 chances are uncertain. The Cubs, Phillies and Rays also showed significant interest, while the Red Sox were on the periphery.
The Indians, who fell one win shy of the World Series last year, are in need of power-hitting corner outfielders and LaPorta is expected to fill that void. He hit .288 with 20 homers and 66 RBIs in 84 games for Double-A Huntsville. He could also end up at first base, where he is considered better defensively, depending upon the Indians’ needs.
Sabathia rejected a $72 million, four-year extension from the Indians during spring training and announced he wouldn’t negotiate until after the season.
Cleveland has seen Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Albert Belle leave in free agency.
Bryson, 20, was 3-2 with a 4.25 ERA at Class A West Virginia, working mostly in relief. Jackson, 25, is the least meaningful player in the deal; he will give the Indians additional pitching depth for this season.
Sabathia, 28, is a free agent after this season, and the level of trade interest in him suggests that he might command a six-year contract for between $20 million and $25 million. Rather than retain him at that price, the Brewers will accept two premium draft picks as compensation.