Angels trade Mark Trumbo to Arizona, get two pitchers in 3-way deal

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The Angels filled out their starting rotation on Tuesday, trading Mark Trumbo to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-way deal.

The Angels got Hector Santiago from the Chicago White Sox and Tyler Skaggs from the Diamondbacks, fulfilling an off-season goal of using the power-hitting Trumbo to acquire young and cost-effective pitching.

Trumbo, who played first base for the Angels last season, is expected to play left field for Arizona. The Diamondbacks sent center fielder Adam Eaton to Chicago and got two players to be named -- one from the Angels, one from the White Sox.

The deal is expected to be announced later Tuesday.

The Angels had tried to get Santiago from the White Sox for infielder Howie Kendrick, but Chicago said no. The Diamondbacks got Santiago from Chicago for Eaton first, knowing the Angels would not send Trumbo for Skaggs alone, then flipped Santiago to the Angels for Trumbo.

The Angels are strapped for pitching and money; this trade helps in both respects. Neither Skaggs nor Santiago is eligible for salary arbitration, but Trumbo is, so the Angels’ payroll would decline by about $3 million.

That leaves about $18 million free -- to acquire a designated hitter now, perhaps, and to create budget room for midseason additions. The Angels might also consider a veteran free-agent starter, leaving the ability to send Skaggs or Santiago to the minor leagues.

The Angels would have three left-handed starters -- Skaggs, Santiago and C.J. Wilson -- in a division that has added strong left-handed hitters in Robinson Cano and Prince Fielder.

Skaggs, 22, a former Angels first-round draft choice who attended Santa Monica High, is 3-6 with a 5.43 earned-run average in 13 major league starts. Santiago, 25, went 4-9 with a 3.56 ERA last season.

Trumbo, 27, who attended Villa Park High, hit .234 last season, with 34 home runs and 100 runs batted in. He led the Angels in home runs in each of his three full seasons in Anaheim.

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