The Tampa Bay Rays traded second baseman Akinori Iwamura to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night in exchange for right-handed reliever Jesse Chavez.
The 26-year-old Chavez led all major league rookies with 73 appearances in 2009. He was 1-4 with a 4.01 ERA and held left-handed batters to a .228 avg. He compiled a 3.19 ERA before the All-Star break.
The Rays had until one day after the competition of the World Series to either pick up the $4.5 million option on Iwamura, trade him or pay him a $550,000 buyout, thus making Iwamura a free agent.
Iwamura hit .290 in 69 games with the Rays, missing most of the season after suffering a knee injury in late May. Iwamura had surgery and returned a head of schedule.
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