Westbrook off to St. Louis

Associated Press

NEW YORK

Former All-Stars Jake Westbrook, Ted Lilly, Ryan Ludwick and Kerry Wood were traded Saturday as pennant contenders played a game of beat-the-clock.

Lance Berkman went to the World Series champion New York Yankees after rejecting the Chicago White Sox.

Octavio Dotel, Rick Ankiel, Kyle Farnsworth, Chad Qualls and Ryan Theriot also joined the playoff chase and Ryan Church highlighted a five-player deal between last-place teams.

The swaps came as clubs scrambled before the 4 p.m. deadline for making trades without waivers. It was a day full of deals between haves and have-nots — veterans for prospects, mostly.

The NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals were the prime players in a three-team trade, getting Westbrook from Cleveland and sending Ludwick to NL Central-leading San Diego.

“I’m excited to go to a club that’s contending for a playoff spot and pitch in some meaningful ballgames,” Westbrook said. “That’s why you play the game, to get a chance to play in the playoffs and I look forward to doing that.”

Westbrook was scratched before he was set to start at Toronto. Ludwick leaves a crowded outfield in St. Louis.

Westbrook was set to start for the Indians, but aware a deal might be brewing. He left the clubhouse for a flight to St. Louis.

The 32-year-old righty was 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA for Cleveland. Ludwick, a 32-year-old outfielder, hit .281 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs this season.

Cleveland sent cash to the Cardinals and Padres, and got minor league pitcher Corey Kluber from San Diego — the 24-year-old righty led the Texas League in strikeouts. St. Louis also acquired minor league lefty Nick Greenwood from San Diego.

The Yankees plucked Wood from Cleveland, shortly after finishing off the deal to get Berkman from Houston. The Astros sent $4 million and Berkman, the Yankees’ new designated hitter, for reliever Mark Melancon and minor league infielder Jimmy Paredes.

A five-time All-Star, the 34-year-old Berkman was hitting only .245 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs.

In other deals:

NL East-leading Atlanta acquired outfielder Rick Ankiel, reliever Kyle Farnsworth and cash from Kansas City for pitchers Tim Collins and Jesse Chavez and outfielder Gregor Blanco.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, seven games behind San Diego, got the left-handed Lilly, Theriot and about $2.5 million from the Chicago Cubs for infielder Blake DeWitt and minor league right-handers Kyle Smit and Brett Wallach. The Dodgers also boosted their bullpen by obtaining Dotel from Pittsburgh.

AL West-leading Texas traded catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia to Boston for pitcher Roman Mendez, first baseman Chris McGuiness, a player to be named later and cash.

Tampa Bay got Qualls from Arizona for a player to be named. The 31-year-old righty reliever was 1-4 with 12 saves and an 8.29 ERA.

San Francisco sent pitcher Joe Martinez and outfielder John Bowker to Pittsburgh for left-handed reliever Javier Lopez.

Arizona sent catcher Chris Snyder, minor league shortstop Pedro Ciriaco and cash to the Pirates for outfielder Church, former AL Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby and right-hander D.J. Carrasco in a trade between last-place teams.