Sources: Rays to deal 2B Iwamura to Pirates

Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, FOXSports.com
Tue Nov 3, 5:35 PM EST
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The Pirates and Rays have reached agreement on a trade that will send second baseman Akinori Iwamura to Pittsburgh for right-hander Jesse Chavez, multiple major-league sources told FOXSports.com on Tuesday afternoon.

Tampa Bay had bullpen issues throughout the 2009 season and were seeking a reliever in return. Chavez was 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA in 73 appearances this year.

The St. Petersburg Times reported on its Web site earlier Tuesday that the Rays were on the verge of completing a trade involving Iwamura.

A separate source told FOXSports.com that the deal could be announced within the next 24 hours. Major League Baseball generally discourages the completion of such transactions until after the World Series. (The Yankees and Phillies will play Game 6 on Wednesday.)

Iwamura was a key player in Tampa Bay's surprise run to the 2008 American League pennant but missed much of 2009 with an injury. The Rays' middle infield depth — Jason Bartlett, Ben Zobrist, Reid Brignac and the recently-acquired Sean Rodriguez — made him expendable.

The Rays hold a $4.25 million option on Iwamura for 2010, with a $250,000 buyout. Rather than pay the buyout, a trade enables the Rays to save cash and get a player (or players) in return.

Courtesy of FOXSports.com