Major League Baseball

Marlins trade Uggla to Braves

Published Nov. 16, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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Dan Uggla is no longer a Florida Marlin.

The Marlins reached a deal Tuesday to trade Uggla to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn.

Uggla, the only second baseman in history to produce four 30-homer seasons, will stay at second base with the Braves and Martin Prado will play third. If Chipper Jones comes back, Prado will play left field.

"While I'm saddened to leave the Marlins family and thankful for all they did for me in my career, I'm certainly excited to join the Braves' organization," Uggla said, currently in Mexico City on a Nike tour. The second baseman lives in Nashville, a drive of several hours from Atlanta.

The Blue Jays, Nationals, Red Sox and Giants all had shown varying degrees of interest in Uggla. The Braves will reunite him with his former Marlins manager, Fredi Gonzalez, and almost certainly will try to sign Uggla long term.

The Marlins will sell the deal as a 3-for-1, including free-agent catcher John Buck, with whom the team is closing in on a three-year, $18 million contract.

Uggla stands to earn more than $10 million in arbitration. The Marlins would redistribute his money to Buck, Omar Infante and Dunn and possibly direct the additional savings toward a free-agent starting pitcher.

Buck would earn $6 million per season under his new deal. Infante, an All-Star utility man last season, will earn $2.5 million in 2011. Dunn would earn slightly above the minimum salary.

Uggla, eligible for free agency at the end of next season, recently rejected a four-year, $48 million contract offer from the Marlins. He is seeking a fifth guaranteed year.

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