OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Oakland Athletics have traded utilityman Ben Zobrist and cash to the Kansas City Royals for right-hander Aaron Brooks and minor league left-hander Sean Manaea.
The teams announced the trade Tuesday. The 34-year-old Zobrist, an infielder and outfielder, batted .268 with six home runs, 20 doubles, two triples and 33 RBIs in 67 games for the A’s, who are last in the AL West.
He joins a Royals team that leads the AL Central a season after beating Oakland in the one-game wild card on the way to its first World Series in 29 years and a seven-game loss to San Francisco.
Zobrist missed a month following arthroscopic left knee surgery in late April for a torn meniscus.
A’s general manager Billy Beane pulled off his second trade in 24 hours and third in six days. Oakland dealt closer Tyler Clippard to the New York Mets on Monday night after trading lefty Scott Kazmir to his hometown Houston Astros last Thursday.