Slumping Athletics trade for Sox’s Dunn

McClatchy Newspapers

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Held to three runs or fewer in 17 games in August, the A’s on Sunday made a trade for left-handed slugger Adam Dunn.

Dunn, who has 460 career home runs, waived his no-trade contract with the Chicago White Sox to join the A’s, who sent minor league pitcher Nolan Sanburn to Chicago.

Oakland also got a cash infusion equal to about half of Dunn’s salary for the final month. Dunn is in the final year of a four-year contract worth $56 million.

Dunn, 34, has never reached the postseason in a career that spans 1.975 games — the longest drought among active players.

“This is a guy who is chasing 500 home runs and he’d rather have a World Series ring over that,” A’s outfielder Jonny Gomes said of Dunn, a friend. “And that’s the kind of guy I want on my team. He’s hungry for it.”

The A’s were shut out by the Angels on Friday and Saturday. Oakland averaged 5.2 runs per game for the first 81 games of the season but the average is just 4.1 runs now, just 3.6 in games in August. The A’s are 12-17 for the month.

Dunn, who is batting .220 with 20 homers and 54 RBI, will join the team A’s for today’s game against Seattle.