Rolen traded to Reds for Encarnacion, 2 relievers
General manager J.P. Ricciardi managed to deal one of the Blue Jays' right-handers Friday, only it wasn't the arm of Roy Halladay but the bat of Scott Rolen.
Toronto sent the third baseman to the Cincinnati Reds for fellow third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and minor league relievers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart before the non-waiver trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET.
Jays get minor-league pitcher
In a separate deal before the deadline, the Blue Jays acquired minor-league righty Sean Smith from the Pittsburgh Pirates for future considerations.
Pittsburgh will receive a player to be named or cash from Toronto.
A 16th-round draft choice in 2001, Smith, 25, is a combined 4-3 with a 2.67 ERA in 25 games, including four starts, split between triple-A and double-A this season
Rolen, 34, who had a no-trade clause, asked to be moved "for personal reasons," said Ricciardi, adding that Rolen wanted to be closer to his hometown of Jasper, Ind.
Ricciardi also said the Blue Jays are paying part of what's left on Rolen's $11 million US salary this year. Rolen is slated to make the same in 2010, the final year of his deal, but Ricciardi said the Jays aren't on the hook for any of that.
The slick-gloved Rolen is having his best season in three years, hitting .320 in 373 plate appearances with eight home runs and 43 runs batted in.
Rolen won a World Series in St. Louis in 2006 with current Reds general manager Walt Jocketty.
"He will bring a lot to this ballclub that's been lacking," said Jocketty, in his second season as the Reds GM. "He brings leadership. He's a veteran. I think he'll add a lot to this club. And he's still playing well. He's a good RBI man and a Gold Glove at third base."
Encarnacion, 26, is a career .262 hitter with a .345 on-base percentage and 71 homers over 514 games. Last year, he slugged a career-high 26 homers.
A chip fracture in his left wrist cost Encarnacion 58 games this season. The Dominican is batting .209 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 43 games.
Roenicke, 26, has made 11 relief appearances this season for the Reds, posting a 2.70 ERA.
Stewart, 22, has posted a combined 4-1 record with a 1.67 ERA in 23 games this season, including 14 starts, at three different levels of the minor leagues.