Yankees strengthen infield, trade for Drury

The Arizona Diamondbacks have sent infielder Brandon Drury to the New York Yankees and received outfielder Steven Souza Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team trade that includes five players.

The deal was announced Tuesday, one day after former Diamondbacks outfielder J.D. Martinez agreed to a $110 million, five-year contract with Boston, pending a physical.

Drury gives the Yankees a new option at third base or second, where New York was projected to start a pair of rookies.

Arizona pitching prospect Anthony Banda goes to the Rays, who also get minor league second baseman Nick Solak from the Yankees. Minor-league righthander Taylor Widener goes from New York to the Diamondbacks.

TWINS SIGN SANCHEZ » The Minnesota Twins have finalized their lowrisk contract with righthander Anibal Sanchez, securing another experienced candidate for their rotation.

For the Twins, he’s another option in a situation with few of them proven. For Sanchez, it’s a late-career chance to potentially get back on track as a reliable starting pitcher and rediscover that winning feeling after some recent rough seasons with the Detroit Tigers.

NFL

TEXANS RELEASE LB CUSHING » The Houston Texans have released veteran linebacker Brian Cushing.

Cushing, who was a first-round pick in 2009, is the franchise’s alltime leader in tackles with 664, but his career has been marked by two suspensions for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers.

Cushing was suspended for the first four games of 2010 after testing positive for HCG, a fertility drug that is on the league’s banned substance list. Cushing had won 2009 Defensive Rookie of the Year, an honor which was jeopardized by the suspension. He kept the award after a revote by The Associated Press’ awards panel.

His second suspension came in September.