Royals trade Santana to Mariners for two pitchers

The Royals traded slugger Carlos Santana and nearly $4.3 million to the Seattle Mariners for right-handers Wyatt Mills and William Fleming on Monday, clearing the way for Kansas City to bring up hot prospect Vinnie Pasquantino .

The Royals optioned Mills, a 27-year-old veteran, to TripleA Omaha while designating right-hander Ronald Bolaños for assignment. Fleming was assigned to Class-A Quad Cities.

Kansas City agreed to send $4,269,231 to Seattle, leaving the Mariners to pay just $1.5 million of the remainder of Santana's salary in the second year of a two-year, $17.5 million contract.

After hitting 19 homers in 158 games for Kansas City last season, and providing some veteran leadership to a team going through a long and difficult rebuild, the 36-year-old first baseman is hitting just .216 with four homers through 52 games this season.

This is the second time Santana has been with Seattle, though the first stint lasted a mere 10 days.

The St. Louis Cardinals placed right-hander Jack Flaherty and center fielder Harrison Bader on the injured list. Flaherty was placed on the 15day list with a right shoulder strain.

Bader, a Gold Glove winner, was placed on the 10-day list with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

The Toronto Blue Jays reached agreement on a contract with right-hander Sergio Romo, MLB Network reported Monday. Romo, 39, was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners last week and subsequently released.

Wes Johnson is leaving the Twins to return to his college coaching roots, taking over LSU's program.