Veteran pitcher Westbrook is traded to the Cardinals as part of three-way deal with the Padres. Indians receive Class AA right-hander Corey Kluber, believed to be the Padres top pitching prospect.
Jake Westbrook has been a reliable starting pitcher for the Indians when healthy.Updated: 2:31 p.m.
TORONTO -- The Indians have traded Jake Westbrook to St. Louis in a three-way trade with San Diego.
The Padres received outfielder Ryan Ludwick and the Indians received pitching prospect Corey Kluber, a Class AA right-hander, believed to be the Padres' top pitching prospect.
Westbrook was scheduled to start against Toronto today at 1:07 p.m., but was scratched. Rookie Josh Tomlin started against Toronto on three days rest.
Westbrook is 6-7 with a 4.65 ERA in 21 starts. He missed most of the last two years because of Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
The final hurdle was money. Westbrook has $3.2 million left on his $11 million contract. Westbrook also receives a $2 million bonus if he's traded. The last year of his contract is also prorated at $1 million if he's traded.
Westbrook helped make the deal work by reducing his trade bonuses. He would not say by how much.
"Anyway I could help the Indians, I wanted to do that," said Westbrook, before leaving to catch a flight to St. Louis. "I don't feel I honored the contract with them because of my health. It was in my best interest and the Indians best interest to do something like that."
Chris Antonetti, Indians in-coming general manager, said the Indians sent cash to the Cardinals and Padres to make the deal work.
"Typical of the person he is, Jake worked with us and the Cardinals and Padres," said Antonetti. "We'll be sending some cash to the Cardinals and a little to the Padres because of the difference in Ludwig and Westbrook's salary.
"There will still be some economic saving for us at the end."
The Indians are seeking starting pitching, preferably major league ready or close to it. St. Louis didn't have anyone available so perhaps that's why the Padres became involved.
The Indians had already traded veterans Russell Branyan, Jhonny Peralta and Austin Kearns.
The Cardinals need starting pitching because of injuries to Brad Penny and Kyle Loshe. First-place St. Louis leads Cincinnati by one-half game in the NL Central. San Diego is in first place in the NL West, 2 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco.
"I'm excited," said Westbrook, the Indians longest tenured player. "It's a chance to pitch in meaningful games and possibly get to the postseason. That's what you play for."
Westbrook didn't know when he'd start for the Cardinals.
Outfielder Jordan Brown was called up from Class AAA Columbus to take Westbrook's spot on the roster. He had not arrived at gametime.
Kluber, 24, is 6-6 with a 3.45 ERA (47 earned runs, 122 2/3 innings) for Class AA San Antonio. He's appeared in 22 games, 21 of them starts. He had 136 strikeouts, leading the Texas League in strikeouts.
The opposition hit .259 against him.
He's 3-0 with a 1.73 in his last three starts.
Antonetti said Kluber will report to Class AA Akron and may move to Class AAA Columbus depending on his performance.
"He throws between 88 mph and 95 mph and sits at 91 mph to 92 mph," said Antonetti. "He has an average to above average fastball and a plus breaking ball. He has the ability to miss bats.
"He gives us another upper level starter who hopefully can be part of our major league rotation at some time."
Kluber was Padres fourth round pick in 2007. He's 6-4 and 215 pounds.
Westbrook was 69-69 with a 4.29 ERA in 218 games, including 179 starts, with the Indians from 2001-2010 after being acquired from the Yankees on June 29, 2000.
The Cardinals also received left-hander Nick Greenwood from the Padres to complete the deal.
Westbrook talked to his agents Friday night and felt a deal was close. He said he came to Rogers Centre on Saturday thinking he wouldn't pitch.
The Indians firesale is in its third year. Saturday it was Westbrook's turn to be be the veteran headed to a contender.
"Because I haven't been healthy for a while, it was hard to determine what kind of interest there would be," said Westbrook. "The way I've thrown the ball this year, and the way I've felt, I thought there might be a possibility that I'd get traded."
Westbrook, a free agent at the end of the season, said he'd consider re-signg with the Indians if they came after him.
"This organization has given me the biggest opportunity," said Westbrook. "It's all I've known except a week or so with the Yankees in the big leagues. Everyone there has been awesome toward me and my family.
"It's going to be tough leaving."