Tribe trades Gerut to Cubs for Dubois

Cleveland was looking for a right-handed power hitter.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLEVELAND -- Looking for a power-hitting right-handed hitter, the Cleveland Indians acquired outfielder Jason Dubois on Monday night from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Jody Gerut.
The Indians have been in the market for a right-handed slugger, and Dubois could help. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder hit 31 homers last season at Triple-A Iowa. Dubois, 26, batted .239 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 52 games this season for the Cubs before being optioned to Iowa on July 8.
"This is a pure baseball trade in the sense that we are trading a player we like in Jody Gerut for a player that we feel has a lot of offensive potential and compliments our club well, both now and in the future," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.
Gerut batted .275 in 44 games this season for Cleveland. He spent the first six weeks on the disabled list while recovering from major knee surgery last September. Gerut tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on Sept. 17 while trying to catch a ball in the right-field corner at Jacobs Field.
Became expendable
Gerut became somewhat expendable with the emergence of outfielders Grady Sizemore and Coco Crisp.
In 2003, Gerut batted .279 with 22 homers and led the Indians with 75 RBIs.
"We like the fact that he's a left-handed hitter," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said. "He's an above-average defensive player. He's more suited to play either corner, but he can play center. He's a guy who could help this club down the stretch."
Dubois made his major league debut with the Cubs last year and hit .236 with eight homers in 72 games.
"Jason's a guy who has power potential," Hendry said. "All of us felt he might be better suited to the other league."
Betancourt back from suspension
Indians reliever Rafael Betancourt was reinstated to the active roster on Monday after serving his 10-day suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.
Betancourt was suspended July 8 after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance. He was already on the disabled list with a shoulder injury when his suspension was announced.
Last week, Betancourt, who is 2-2 with a 2.21 ERA in 29 games, said he would appeal the suspension. He acknowledged taking an over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory medicine while pitching winter ball in his native Venezuela.
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