Padres Trade Unhappy Vaughn to Yankees for Rogers, Duncan

Slugger Greg Vaughn is going back to the American League, where he’ll get a chance to play every day. Kenny Rogers and Mariano Duncan are escaping George Steinbrenner’s doghouse.

The San Diego Padres solved their awkward left-field situation by dealing the struggling Vaughn to the New York Yankees for left-hander Rogers and infielder Duncan on Friday night.

The deal is contingent upon Vaughn and Rogers passing physicals today. The Yankees also get minor league pitchers Kerry Taylor and Chris Clark, and the Padres get minor league pitcher Kevin Henthorne. Rogers, demoted to New York’s bullpen, will join San Diego’s starting rotation. The Yankees will pay the remaining $950,276 of Rogers’ deferred salary for this season.

Vaughn, who hit all but 20 of his 189 career home runs in the AL, doesn’t anticipate feeling pressure playing in New York.

“Pressure is when you come over here for three players and I felt I didn’t get an opportunity to play every day and show the people of San Diego what I can do,” he said.

The Padres also have Rickey Henderson to play left, and Henderson is on a hot streak that relegated Vaughn to the bench.

Said Padre Manager Bruce Bochy: “Both continued to work hard, but it’s hard to be fair to both because you can’t put both of them out there.”