Arizona lands Trumbo as part of 3-team trade

Arizona Manager Kevin Towers had been talking trade with Chicago White Sox GM Rick Hahn for a month when he arrived at the winter meetings last weekend and sent a text to Angels counterpart Jerry Dipoto. “Can I get your attention in that Trumbo deal for Skaggs and Eaton?” he remembered writing. “Sure, why don’t you come down and talk?” Dipoto replied, according to Towers. Two days later, a three-team trade fell into place.

Chicago acquired outfielder Adam Eaton from Arizona for left-hander Hector Santiago, and the Diamondbacks then sent Santiago and left-hander Tyler Skaggs to the Angels for slugger Mark Trumbo. Arizona also will receive a player to be named or cash from each of the other clubs.

Trumbo, 27, hit .234 with 34 home runs and 100 RBI this year, playing first base in 123 games because Albert Pujols was hurt. Despite hitting 95 homers during the last three seasons, the outfielder was deemed superfluous by Los Angeles, which craved starting pitching behind Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Garrett Richards.

He’ll join a batting order that includes Paul Goldschmidt, who led the NL with 125 RBI and tied for the league lead in home runs with 36.

After finishing last in the AL Central with their worst record since 1970 at 63-99, the White Sox were looking to make changes, and Hahn is counting on Eaton to provide a spark.

Santiago, 25, was 4-9 with a 3.56 ERA in 23 starts and 11 relief appearances. His fastball velocity has dipped from 93.8 miles per hour in 2011 to 92.8 miles per hour in 2012 to 91.8 last season, according to fangraphs.com. Eaton, 25, a speedy leadoff hitter, was sidelined from spring training until July 9 by a sprained left elbow. He hit .252 with three homers, 22 RBI and 44 strikeouts in 250 at-bats for the Diamondbacks this year.

Skaggs, 22, was taken by the Angels with the 40th overall selection of the 2009 amateur draft and was dealt to the Diamondbacks in August 2010 to complete the trade that brought Dan Haren to Los Angeles.

AP