The A’s packed left-handed reliever Eric O’Flaherty and cash and sent him to the Mets Tuesday in a deal announced in the third inning of the A’s-Orioles game at the Coliseum.
The Mets had been looking for someone to serve as a specialist to get left-handed hitters out, and the A’s, who were not going to resign him at the end of the season, had been looking to get rid of what was left of O’Flaherty’s two-year, $7 million contract.
Oakland is due to get a player to be named later in return, or cash.
With Fernando Abad serving as Oakland’s designated lefty-on-lefty pitcher, the A’s tried to use O’Flaherty to pitch to both right-handers and left-handers.