KANSAS CITY, Mo., July 31 -- San Diego and Kansas City swapped struggling righthanders Monday as the Padres sent Brian Meadows to the Royals for Jay Witasick.
Meadows, 24, is 7-8 with a 5.34 ERA in 22 starts this season.
He owns a career mark of 29-36 with an ERA of 5.39 in three major league seasons. He spent his first two seasons with the Florida Marlins, leading the teams with 11 wins in 1998 and 1999.
Meadows was acquired by the Padres in November for reliever Dan Miceli. He has struggled with his control this season, walking 50 in 124 2/3 innings after walking only 103 in his first 352 2/3 innings.
Witasick, 27, was 3-8 with a 5.94 ERA in 22 games for the Royals. In 89 1/3 innings, he has allowed 109 hits and 38 walks. In 81 games, he has a career mark of 14-24 with a 5.79 ERA. He broke in with Oakland before being acquired by Kansas City in March 1999.