SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres on Monday traded pitchers Greg Harris and Bruce Hurst to the expansion Colorado Rockies in exchange for catcher Brad Ausmus, minor league pitcher Doug Bochtler and a minor league player to be named.
The trade of Harris and Hurst is the latest in a series of cost- cutting moves by the Padres.
San Diego traded All-Star third baseman Gary Sheffield to the Florida Marlins last month and dealt slugger Fred McGriff to the Atlanta Braves eight days ago.
Harris, 29, was 10-9 with a 3.67 ERA in 22 starts this season. His career record is 41-39 over five seasons. Hurst, 35, is on the disabled list. After undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair tears in his labrum and rotator cuff last October, he has made just two starts this season. Hurst is 0-1 with a 12.46 ERA.
Hurst spent his first nine major-league seasons with Boston, going 55-38 with a career-high 18 victories in 1988. He signed as a free agent with San Diego in December of 1988.
Ausmus, 24, has spent the season at Colorado Springs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League after the Rockies selected him with the first pick of the third round of the expansion draft out of the New York Yankees organization. He hit .270 with two homers, 33 RBI and 10 stolen bases at Colorado Springs, and will report to the Padres for Tuesday's game in Cbicago.
Bochtler, 23, has split the 1993 season between Colorado Springs and Central Valley of the A California League. He was 3-1 with a 3.40 ERA in eight starts for Central Valley and was promoted to Colorado Springs because the Rockies have no Double-A team. Bochtler was the Rockies' third pick in the second round of the expansion draft from the Montreal Expos.
