Crew acquires OF Flores in deal with Mariners

MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers' trading spree continued Friday, when general manager David Stearns sent infielder Luis Sardinas to the Mariners for outfielder Ramon Flores in a swap of young players who'd already been traded once this year.

It was the third deal in as many days for new Brewers GM Stearns, who traded closer Francisco Rodriguez to the Tigers on Wednesday for a Minor League infielder and a player to be named, then sent a Minor League pitcher to the Astros on Thursday for infielder Jonathan Villar.

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Flores, a 23-year-old left-handed hitter, went from the Yankees to the Mariners in a July trade for Dustin Ackley. Flores is a .275/.363/.405 hitter in parts of seven Minor League seasons and went 7-for-32 in a brief Major League stint with New York prior to the trade. He batted .423 in his first 14 games with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate before suffering a high right ankle fracture chasing down a fly ball.
 
Flores, who will turn 24 just before Opening Day, should be ready for the start of Spring Training, Stearns said.
 
"We're happy to add a left-handed-hitting outfielder to complement our current group," Stearns said. "Ramon has hit consistently throughout his Minor League career, and we believe he can contribute at the Major League level."
 
Flores is out of Minor League options. He has experience at all three outfield positions, plus first base.

The 22-year-old Sardinas might have competed for a bench job with the Brewers next spring, but became expendable after Thursday's trade for Villar. Sardinas appeared in 36 games for the Brewers in 2015 but did not distinguish himself at the plate, going 19-for-97 with only one extra-base hit, a triple.

The Brewers acquired Sardinas from the Rangers in January as part of a prospect package for pitcher Yovani Gallardo.