Pirates rain delayed, make trade

Associated Press

ST. LOUIS

The Atlanta Braves have traded minor league outfielder Mitch Jones to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash.

The Pirates’ game at St. Louis was delayed by rain.

Jones, a 32-year-old outfielder is batting .250 for Triple-A Gwinnett with 18 homers and 45 RBIs in 89 games. He will go to Pittsburgh’s Triple-A team in Indianapolis.

Jones has played eight games in the majors, getting promoted by the Dodgers last June. The Braves signed him to a minor league deal in November. Jones played for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan’s Pacific League for parts of the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

CARDS’ FREESE READY

Cardinals third baseman David Freese, who has been out the last month with ankle and toe injuries, could begin a rehab assignment soon.

Manager Tony La Russa said Friday that Freese was close to being ready to play but had yet to run at 100 percent. La Russa was confident the rookie, who is batting .296 with four homers and 36 RBIs in 70 games, would be back in the lineup by mid-August.

“He’s making a lot of noises about being very close,” La Russa said. “Our training staff wants to make sure he does stuff step by step before he goes crazy. But it’s all working really well for him.”

Pitcher Kyle Lohse is set for a second rehab start today with Triple-A Memphis after forearm surgery in late May.