Pirates Trade Giles to Padres

Brian Giles, one of the National League’s most productive players for five seasons, was sent Tuesday to the San Diego Padres in a long-rumored trade that further depletes the talent-thin Pittsburgh Pirates.

In an uncommon late-season deal involving a name player going from one non-contender to another, the Pirates get left-handed starter Oliver Perez, minor league outfielder Jason Bay and a player to be named.

After acquiring Giles, the last-place Padres sent All-Star outfielder Rondell White to the Kansas City Royals for two minor league pitchers.

“Over our last 10 or 11 games, we’ve been pounded by left-handed pitchers late in the game,” Kansas City General Manager Allard Baird said. “This certainly gives us another option.”

Giles, a San Diego native, has averaged 35 home runs and 100-plus runs batted in since being traded by Cleveland before the 1999 season. He is batting .299 with 16 homers and 70 RBIs this season despite sitting out a month because of a knee injury.

“It’s disappointing because when I signed here, I wanted to play for a championship club here, but it just didn’t work out,” Giles said. “But I’m excited to go back and play in my hometown.”

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The New York Yankees, carefully manipulating their roster in preparation for the postseason, optioned right-hander Jeff Weaver to Class-A Tampa and designated left-handed reliever Jesse Orosco for assignment.

The moves opened spots for left-handers Gabe White, activated from the disabled list, and Felix Heredia, who reported one day after he was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati.

New York plans to option right-hander Jose Contreras to the minors and recall infielder Erick Almonte from triple-A Columbus by Sunday, the deadline for postseason roster eligibility. The moves would allow the Yankees to carry only 10 pitchers on their postseason roster.

Contreras and Weaver would be recalled from the minors Monday, when active rosters expand to 40, and both would be eligible for postseason play because New York has two pitchers on the disabled list.

Weaver has struggled since the Yankees acquired him from Detroit in July 2002. He is 7-9 with a 5.85 earned-run average this season and lost his spot in the rotation last week when Contreras was activated from the disabled list.

Orosco, at 46 the oldest player in the major leagues, had a 10.38 ERA in 15 games since the Yankees acquired him from San Diego on July 22.

Orosco has pitched in 1,244 games, the most in major league history.

The Yankees have 10 days to trade Orosco or release him.

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Kansas City put right-handers Runelvys Hernandez and Kevin Appier on the 15-day disabled list because of elbow injuries.

Hernandez is out for the season and will need surgery for a torn ligament. The Royals don’t know whether Appier will need surgery for a torn tendon.

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St. Louis shortstop Edgar Renteria sat out the first game of a series against the Chicago Cubs because of a sprained back. It was unclear how long Renteria would be sidelined.... Jeff D’Amico was scratched as Pittsburgh’s starting pitcher against Florida for an undisclosed reason. Pat Mahomes replaced D’Amico. Colorado signed catcher Gregg Zaun, released by Houston on Aug. 21, and designated catcher Mandy Romero for assignment.