ANAHEIM -- Utility infielder Luis Sardiñas was traded by the Mariners to the Padres on Monday for a player to be named or cash after being designated for assignment by Seattle last Wednesday.
The 23-year-old opened the season on Seattle's 25-man roster and hit .181 with 12 runs, two home runs and five RBIs in 72 at-bats over three stints with the big league club this year. But he became expendable with the strong play of Shawn O'Malley in the utility role, as well as the recent acquisition of infielder Mike Freeman off waivers from the D-backs.
Sardinas batted .252 in 163 at-bats over 44 games with Triple-A Tacoma.
Sardinas was acquired by the Mariners from the Brewers last offseason in exchange for outfielder Ramón Flores, and he has posted a .218/.257/.268 line in 307 plate appearances over three seasons with the Rangers, Brewers and Mariners.
Sardinas was designated for assignment by Seattle to create room on the 40-man roster for reliever Jarrett Grube, who wound up spending just one day with the Mariners in a series of moves by general manager Jerry Dipoto to bolster the team's short-handed bullpen.