Indians trade Bauer for Puig, other help

Trevor Bauer’s final act for the Cleveland Indians was throwing a ball over the center-field wall. Yasiel Puig ended his season with Cincinnati in another brawl.

Cleveland agreed to trade Bauer, the talented but taxing right-hander, to the Reds on Tuesday night for Puig in a three-team deal that also involves the San Diego Padres, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The Indians, who are trying to catch Minnesota in the AL Central, also get left-hander Scott Moss from Cincinnati and slugging outfielder Franmil Reyes, lefty Logan Allen and infielder Victor Nova from the Padres, the person said.

San Diego receives minor league outfielder Taylor Trammell from the Reds, the person said.

In his last start for the Indians on Sunday, Bauer threw a ball in frustration from the mound in Kansas City over the center-field wall. Bauer has been fined by Major League Baseball for the incident.

The moment seemed to push the Indians over the edge with the enigmatic 28-year-old, who has one of baseball’s best arms but can be difficult. He is 9-8 with a 3.79 ERA in 24 starts this season.

Puig and Reyes will help Cleveland add power to its lineup, though Puig was involved in a brawl Tuesday just as the trade was coming together and could face discipline.

Two other contenders acquired bullpen help Tuesday.

The NL East-leading Atlanta Braves acquired hard-throwing reliever Chris Martin from Texas for former first-round draft pick Kolby Allard, and the Chicago Cubs acquired right-hander David Phelps from Toronto for minor league righty Thomas Hatch.

Meanwhile, if Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard, Mike Minor or Robbie Ray is going to get dealt to contenders desperate for arms, it will happen Wednesday or not at all.

Baseball’s trade window shuts Wednesday afternoon — completely, not like in years past.

The deadline for trades without waivers was June 15 from 1923 through 1985, and has been July 31 or Aug. 1 each year since.

Players who cleared waivers could be dealt after the deadline, but they had to be in an organization by Aug. 31 to be eligible for the postseason.

That changed in March, when MLB and the players’ association agreed to a rules change that prohibits trades from Aug. 1 through the World Series. The only way a player can change clubs during that period is to be claimed on waivers or get released and sign with a new team.