PHOENIX — Reliever Aaron Heilman was acquired Friday by the Arizona Diamondbacks from the Chicago Cubs for two minor league prospects.
The 31-year-old right-hander was 4-4 with a 4.11 ERA in 70 appearances last season, striking out 65 and walking 34. He spent six seasons with the New York Mets before he was traded to Seattle last December, then was dealt to the Cubs the next month.
The move is intended to bolster an Arizona bullpen that was just one of many problems for the Diamondbacks last season.
Heilman, a Logansport native, has a career record of 26-37 with 10 saves and a 4.22 ERA in 375 career games.
“He’s a pedrigee guy,” D-backs general manager Josh Byrnes told MLB.com. “A former first-round pick with a lot of success in the Major Leagues. He’s someone we feel will really strengthen our bullpen.”
MLB.com reported Heilman likely will pitch as a setup man for closer Chad Qualls.
“He’s pitched in pressurized situations before in terms of his role and the markets he’s pitched in,” Byrnes said. “He has the stuff to get both left-handed and right-handed hitters out.”
Chicago gets 24-year-old left-hander Scott Maine and 23-year-old infielder Ryne White. Maine, a sixth-round draft pick in 2007, was a combined 4-5 with seven saves and a 2.90 ERA with Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno last season. White, a fourth-round draft pick in 2008, hit .266 with 58 RBIs for Class A Visalia.
“We feel like we got two solid prospects from the Diamondbacks,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry told MLB.com. “As we move forward in the winter, the way our big league club sets up and the way we have a lot of [arbitration] guys, we felt we needed to move some people a little bit before we get to Indianapolis [for the Winter Meetings].”
The Mets traded Heilman to Seattle last December in a three-way deal involving Cleveland. Seven weeks later, the Mariners shipped him to the Cubs for utility infielder Ronny Cedeno and left-hander Garrett Olson.
Heilman is eligible for salary arbitration this year after making $1.625 million last season.
