Major League Baseball

Brewers deal Hall to M's for pitching prospect

Published Aug. 20, 2009 1:28 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

Bill Hall is heading to Seattle.




The Brewers on Wednesday traded the infielder to the Mariners in exchange for right-hander Ruben Flores. Milwaukee will also send cash to Seattle as part of the deal.

The Reds had also been interested in Hall, but the Mariners were willing to accept less money from the Brewers in order to make the deal happen, according to a major-league source.

Hall, who hit 35 homers in 2006, was designated for assignment by Milwaukee last week after hitting .201 in 76 games this season. He is expected to join the Mariners on Thursday in Detroit. Seattle is on the fringe of the AL wild-card race, and starting third baseman Adrian Beltre is on the disabled list.

The Brewers are expected to pay a large portion of the money that remains on Hall's deal - more than $2 million this year, $8.4 million next year and a $9.25 million club option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout.

"We saved some money here," Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said, without confirming an exact figure.

"Obviously, when you enter into a long-term deal with a player, you hope it has a much different ending than this one has. But I think that given his ongoing struggles in Milwaukee, this gives him a fresh start and us some limited financial flexibility next year compared to what we did have, and certainly the year after on the buyout of the option, so maybe we can use those resources to address a more important need at the moment," he said.

Flores went 3-2 with a 4.39 ERA in 44 games for two Class A teams.

"He's got a power arm," Ash said. "Not to dismiss his ability, but this is more about trying to secure financial relief than it is about acquiring personnel."

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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