NEW YORK -- The surprising Minnesota Twins are making a big playoff push, acquiring All-Star pitcher Rick Reed from the New York Mets for outfielder Matt Lawton on Monday night.
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The Twins have spent much of the season at or near the top of the AL Central despite baseball's lowest opening day payroll at $24.35 million.
But Minnesota has struggled since the All-Star break, going from five games up to a half-game behind Cleveland in the AL Central.
"This guy is certainly proven," Twins general manager Terry Ryan told SportsLine.com. "He's got postseason experience, World Series experience, he pounds strikes. We thought he was the best pitcher available, and we decided to go get him."
Minnesota's young rotation has played a big part of its success this season. The Twins are sixth in the AL in ERA, led by Joe Mays (12-7, 3.25), Brad Radke (10-8, 3.90) and Eric Milton (9-4, 4.34).
"We're looking to stabilize our pitching staff," Ryan said. "We've struggled since the break. ... If you're going to get pitching of his caliber you have to give up something."
Reed adds a veteran presence for the young team down the stretch. Reed, who turns 36 Aug. 16, was 8-6 with a 3.48 ERA for the Mets this season.
"He's savvy, he throws strikes, he's a veteran," Ryan said. "He's been through the postseason and the World Series."
The Twins' need for another starting pitcher was obvious as soon as they signed off on the weekend deal that sent Mark Redman to Detroit for reliever Todd Jones. Like the Yankees, who acquired Sterling Hitchcock from San Diego on Monday, the Twins had two rookies in the back-end of their rotation -- Kyle Lohse and Adam Johnson.
"He's got a lot of things this young team is looking for," Ryan said. "We do have a very good defense here, and he fits in with everything we believe in: Get out there, throw the ball, let the defense work and get off the field."
Reed goes from fourth place with the Mets to the pennant race with the Twins.
"I'm a little numb to be honest. I was able to do it last year and the year before," he said of the pennant race. "It is exciting to get back in one."
The Twins might not be done dealing yet. They are also interested in adding Cincinnati outfielder Dmitri Young to replace Lawton.
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| Matt Lawton adds some speed and pop to a punchless Mets outfield.(Allsport) |
The defending NL champion Mets have the worst offense in the majors. They trail Atlanta by 11½ games in the NL East and are eighth in the wild-card race and have begun preparing for next season.
Last week, New York traded relievers Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook to Philadelphia for Bruce Chen, who will replace Reed in the rotation.
"I think we have had enough pitching to keep us in the game but not nearly the offense," GM Steve Phillips said. "We need to address that. I understand the importance of pitching to winning, but if we don't score runs at a pace that allows the pitching to be rewarded, it doesn't matter."
The biggest problem for the Mets has been production in the outfield. Mets outfielders are last in the majors with 22 homers and 121 RBI.
Phillips has been interested in Lawton since before the 2000 season and this deal developed the day before baseball's trade deadline.
"I'm not familiar with what's going on in New York," Lawton said of the Mets' struggles. "I was there for the World Series last year and saw how good the atmosphere is. It's a great place to play."
Lawton -- whose brother, Marcus, spent four years in the Mets' minor-league system -- was hitting .293 with 10 homers and 51 RBI for the Twins.
Lawton has a .396 on-base percentage -- higher than any Mets regular -- and his 19 steals would also lead New York. He is expected to play right field and lead off for the Mets.
Reed, a two-time All-Star, signed a $21.75 million, three-year contract in the offseason and will be the second-highest paid player on the team behind Radke, who makes $7.75 million a year.
"He's not a rental," Ryan said. "This guy is signed. He'll be here for the next couple of years."
Lawton, 29, making $3.9 million this season, is eligible for free agency after the 2002 season. He is also arbitration-eligible this winter, which concerned the Twins because they've been unable to agree on a multiyear deal. They would have had no control over what an arbiter would have awarded him.
"We hope Matt will be the start of the process to generate offense and add more excitement at the top of our lineup," Phillips said.
-- SportsLine.com Senior Writer Scott Miller contributed to this report
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