Tampa Bay Rays trade Akinori Iwamura – to Pittsburgh Pirates

November 3, 6:22 PMTampa Bay Sports ExaminerTed Fleming

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Jesse Chavez
MLB Photo

Hold on to your hats folks but the Rays’ have traded second baseman Akinori Iwamura, not to the Dodgers or Cubs as first speculated, but to the cash-strapped, last place Pirates. In return Tampa Bay will receive right-hand pitcher Jesse Chavez. Pittsburgh is expected to receive another player in the transaction.

Information on the trade came from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Iwamura had an option for 2010 at $4.85 million although the Rays were not expected to pick it up as they had his replacement already on the roster in Ben Zobrist, a switch-hitter who had a breakout season hitting .297 with 27 homers and 97 RBI.

The 26-year old Chavez was 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 73 games for the Buccos last year, however, he did surrender 11 homers in 67.1 innings with a 1.35 WHIP. He was a 42nd round pick by the Rangers in the 2002 June Amateur Draft and was traded to the Pittsburgh in 2006 for another hurler, Kip Wells.

Iwamura was made expendable with the emergence of Zobrist and with the Rays’ re-signing Gabe Kapler right now it appears he will split time with Matt Joyce in right field. Joyce was acquired from the Tigers in exchange for pitcher Edwin Jackson prior to the 2009 season.

Zobrist came to Tampa Bay in a trade with the Astros for Aubrey Huff before the trade deadline in 2006.