In separate deals with the Pirates and Devil Rays, the Mets gamble with their future, giving up top prospects to acquire major league pitchers who can immediately step into the rotation. Free agent-eligible Kris Benson and infielder Jeff Keppinger are obtained from the Pirates for infielder Ty Wigginton, pitcher Matt Peterson and infielder José Bautista, who came in a trade today with the Royals for minor league catcher Justin Huber, and Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato become Mets when Tampa Bay agrees to take New York’s top pitching prospect, Scott Kazmir, and minor league pitcher Jose Diaz. It is Bautista’s 4th organization of the season, returning to the system he belonged to last year.

In separate deals with the Pirates and Devil Rays, the Mets gamble with their future, giving up top prospects to acquire major league pitchers who can immediately step into the rotation. Free agent-eligible Kris Benson and infielder Jeff Keppinger are obtained from the Pirates for infielder Ty Wigginton, pitcher Matt Peterson and infielder José Bautista, who came in a trade today with the Royals for minor league catcher Justin Huber, and Victor Zambrano and Bartolome Fortunato become Mets when Tampa Bay agrees to take New York’s top pitching prospect, Scott Kazmir, and minor league pitcher Jose Diaz. It is Bautista’s 4th organization of the season, returning to the system he belonged to last year.

In a blockbuster trade, the Marlins deal Brad Penny, the winner of two World Series games last season, 1B Hee Seop Choi and southpaw prospect Bill Murphy (who will be traded to the Diamondbacks tomorrow) to the Dodgers for backstop Paul Lo Duca, relief pitcher Guillermo Mota and much-traveled outfielder Juan Encarnacion.

In a blockbuster trade, the Marlins deal Brad Penny, the winner of two World Series games last season, 1B Hee Seop Choi and southpaw prospect Bill Murphy (who will be traded to the Diamondbacks tomorrow) to the Dodgers for backstop Paul Lo Duca, relief pitcher Guillermo Mota and much-traveled outfielder Juan Encarnacion.