Royals trade ace Greinke to Brewers

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers are going all-in for 2011, acquiring former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke in a trade with the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals announced on Sunday that they acquired shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and righthanded pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress from the Brewers in exchange for Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt and cash considerations.

"Zack Greinke is one of the top young pitchers in the game today," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said in a statement. "We are very excited to add him to our new rotation."

Greinke was 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA for the Royals last season. It was a step back from his standout 2009 season, when he went 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA and won the Cy Young Award.

There are two years left on the four-year, $38-million contract he signed with the Royals in January 2009. He is due $13.5 million each of the final two seasons, although the Brewers got an undisclosed amount of cash from the Royals in the deal.

Greinke is 60-67 with a 3.82 ERA in six-plus seasons with the Royals. He sat out most of the 2006 season because of an anxiety disorder.

The Brewers have taken two big steps to bolster their starting rotation, the team's main weak spot in back-to-back disappointing seasons. Earlier this month, Milwaukee made a trade with Toronto to obtain Shaun Marcum for highly regarded infield prospect Brett Lawrie.

It's an indication the Brewers are serious about a playoff run in 2011, presumably making it much less likely that the team would trade first baseman Prince Fielder, who can become a free agent after the season.

Melvin also went all-in in 2008 with a trade for CC Sabathia, who led the team to the playoffs. With the acquisition of Greinke, the Brewers' starting staff is closer to par with Philadelphia and San Francisco in the National League.

Escobar was the Brewers' primary shortstop last season but struggled at the plate, batting .235 with 41 RBIs. Cain played 43 games for the Brewers last season, batting .306 with 13 RBIs.

Jeffress made 10 appearances for the Brewers last season, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA. He has been suspended twice under baseball's drug policy.

Odorizzi was perhaps the Brewers' top minor-league pitching prospect, and agent Jason Wood said the team tried "very hard" to keep his client out of the deal.