Locked in a battle with Cincinnati in the NL Central, the Cardinals are on the verge of a deal to fortify their rotation with right-hander Jake Westbrook from Cleveland, but there's a twist:
San Diego is engaged with those two clubs and has become part of an expanded trade that will send Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick to the Padres, Westbrook to the Cardinals and Double-A pitcher Corey Kluber from San Diego to Cleveland, multiple sources have told CBSSports.com.
The deal is very near completion, according to sources, and the Indians scratched Westbrook from his scheduled Saturday start against Toronto 40 minutes before game-time.
Among other things, the deal would have to approved by league officials and the players' union. That step is necessary because there is a significant amount of money involved: Westbrook is due roughly $3.2 million of his $11 million 2010 deal, plus clauses in his contract call for him to receive a $2 million bonus if traded plus the last year of his contract also is prorated by $1 million if he's dealt.
Westbrook is in the final season of a three-year, $33 million deal.
A veteran right-hander who missed most of 2008 and 2009 following Tommy John ligament replacement surgery, Westbrook bounced back to make the opening day start for Cleveland in 2010 and has gone 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA over 21 starts.
The Cardinals have been searching for a starter because things have been in flux in the rotation after aces Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Rookie Jaime Garcia has been sensational, but there is concern over his workload. Kyle Lohse has been out for much of the season due to a forearm injury. And Brad Penny has battled various nagging injuries.
Lohse already has made an injury-rehabilitation start and is due back within a few weeks.
"There is a better expectation [that he'll be good]," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa told reporters recently. "He's feeling really normal, and he says he likes the way he's responding."
The surprising Padres have been searching for an outfielder who will help add pop to a sluggish offense and Ludwick would help on several fronts. He's hitting .281 with 11 homers and 43 RBI for the Cardinals this year, and his defense is very underrated. In that department, he would fit perfectly into a Padres team that is strong with the gloves and whose pitching staff leads the majors in ERA.
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