Pirates acquire Ryan Ludwick

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PHILADELPHIA -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the San Diego Padres for a player to be named or cash.

Ludwick was scratched from the starting lineup two minutes before the start of the Padres game Sunday against Colorado.

Ludwick batted .238 with a team-leading 11 home runs and 64 RBIs in 378 at-bats. He was acquired by San Diego from the St. Louis Cardinals at the non-waiver trading deadline last July 31 in a three-team deal with the Cleveland Indians.

"I'm excited because I've got another chance to make the playoffs, going to a team that's in the pennant race, back in the Central to an area I'm familiar with," Ludwick said. "It's just sad things didn't work out here."

The Pirates are one of the feel-good stories in baseball this season, but were just swept by Philadelphia. Ludwick was the second big bat added in two days after Pittsburgh acquired Derrek Lee from Baltimore on Saturday. Ludwick led the Padres in homers and RBIs and leaves a team that was 16 games under .500 entering Sunday.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was glad to add Ludwick.

"He plays hard and will be a big help for our ballclub," he said.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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