Mariners Acquire Broussard

The Seattle Mariners acquired first baseman Ben Broussard from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday for minor league outfielder Shin-Soo Choo.

It’s the second deal the two clubs have made in a month and sends another Cleveland first baseman to the Mariners.

Seattle, in last place in the tight AL West, got first baseman Eduardo Perez in a deal for minor league infielder Asbrudal Cabrera on June 30.

Broussard and Perez will platoon at designated hitter for the Mariners.

Seattle also designated outfielder Carl Everett for assignment.

Broussard hit .321 with 13 home runs and 46 RBIs in 88 games with the Indians. Cleveland will send cash to the Mariners to cover a portion of Broussard’s salary.

The Indians will receive a player to be named by Aug. 31 to complete the deal.

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The New York Yankees won’t allow top pitching prospect Phil Hughes to play for the U.S. Olympic team in qualifying next month, Team USA General Manager Bob Watson told the New York Times.

The newspaper reported that Watson was told by a “high-ranking official from the Yankees” to stay away from Hughes.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman, however, said Watson sought permission to have only infielder Nick Green and reliever J.B. Cox included for the U.S. team’s preliminary 60-man roster.

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Lawyers for Barry Bonds’ personal trainer say he’d rather go back to prison for a third time than take part in the grand jury investigation of his childhood friend for tax evasion and perjury.

Greg Anderson is expected to be called today before a new grand jury investigating the San Francisco slugger. But the trainer is expected to renew his vow of silence.