Santana back with Indians
Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto was in a hospital, making a trade from a bed.
Cleveland counterpart Chris Antonetti was boarding a plane headed back home, trying to finalize the deal before the flight pulled away from the gate.
They managed to complete the swap as the winter meetings came to an end. Carlos Santana was sent back to Cleveland, where he was an Indians fan favorite. Edwin Encarnacion is headed to Seattle — no telling how long he’ll stick there.
The star hitters were dealt for each other Thursday, part of a three-team trade that also involved Tampa Bay.
The Rays got infielder Yandy Diaz and minor-league right-hander Cole Sulser from Cleveland. The Indians also acquired first baseman Jake Bauers from Tampa Bay, while the busy Mariners wound up with a draft pick. Tampa Bay will send $5 million to Seattle and the Mariners will pay $6 million to Cleveland.
“I called Edwin earlier this morning before we had final sign-off because again I wanted him to hear from me,” Antonetti said after landing, adding he was mid-flight when he finally reached Diaz.
Dipoto made likely the first winter meetings deal from a medical facility since Jim Hendry’s agreement with pitcher Ted Lilly in 2007 when the then-Chicago Cubs general manager was taken to the hospital for angioplasty in 2006. Dipoto felt ill a day earlier and was checked “out of an abundance of caution,” the team said. Dipoto was released from the hospital later Thursday.
KELLY SIGNS WITH DODGERS
Reliever Joe Kelly agreed Thursday to a $25 million, three-year contract with the Dodgers, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
A 30-year-old right-hander who was born in Anaheim, California, Kelly was 4-2 with a 4.39 ERA and two saves in 73 games this year for the World Series champion Red Sox. Kelly pitched in all five World Series games against the Dodgers this year and did not allow a run, striking out 10 in six innings. He gave up one earned run in nine postseason appearances with 13 strikeouts and no walks.