The Twins get Met starter Rick Reed for outfielder and leadoff batter Matt Lawton. Reed, 36, who was a member of the National League All-Star team, was 8-6 with a 3.86 ERA this season.

The Giants obtain P Jason Schmidt and OF John Vander Wal from the Pirates in exchange for OF Armando Rios and P Ryan Vogelsong.

2001 – A career utility player who’s making the most of his opportunity to play this year in place of the injured Edgardo Alfonzo, second baseman Desi Relaford makes several key contributions to a dramatic, back-and-forth, 6 – 5 nailbiter between the Mets and Phillies. After Relaford’s tremendous over-the-shoulder inning-ending grab robs Philly of two runs in the 6th, he goes to even greater lengths to break the tie he’s just preserved: after his one-out, 7th-inning, hit-and-run single moves Lenny Harris to third and brings up Mike Piazza, New York’s number one run producer produces a tailor-made 4-6-3, inning-ending double play grounder. Long before Relaford can reach second, shortstop Jimmy Rollins receives the throw and crosses the bag, continuing on another 10 to 12 feet past the bag and at least 7 feet clear of the baseline before turning and making the transfer from glove to hand. As the unsuspecting shortstop winds up to throw, Relaford, his left arm dragging the baseline to which his fully-extended body is perfectly perpendicular, suddenly enters the picture, sliding/tumbling past on his way to second base. Just as Rollins is about to unload, Desi fully extends his right toe, hooks Rollins’ right shin and completely turns him around. When he comes to rest, the Phillies’ shortstop is facing the now unoccupied third base as its previous tenant, Lenny Harris, crosses home plate. The resulting 3 – 2 Mets lead will last exactly two batters into the next half-inning as John Franco coughs it up on Scott Rolen’s no-out, two-run homer. Tsuyoshi Shinjohits a towering, two-run homer in the 8th, but New York’s Armando Benitez blows the save and Relaford must come to the rescue yet again, turning a double play to get Benitez out of further trouble, thus setting the stage for redemption in the form of Mike Piazza’s walk-off home run.

In Arlington, Craig Monroe homers in his first major league game. The rookie right fielder’s fifth-inning blast contributes to the Rangers’ 2-0 victory over the Devil Rays.

The Twins get P Todd Jones from the Tigers in exchange for P Mark Redman.

Oriole outfielder Melvin Mora’s wife, Gisel, gives birth to quintuplets. The three boys and two girls, who all weighed in under two and a half pounds, are doing well.

Oriole outfielder Melvin Mora’s wife, Gisel, gives birth to quintuplets. The three boys and two girls, who all weighed in under two and half pounds, are doing well.

The Cubs get 1B Fred McGriff from the Devil Rays in exchange for P Manny Aybar and a player to be named later. The Cubs’ first try for McGriff on the 16th had been nixed by the slugger who said he did not want to uproot his family. His first game will be a night contest at Wrigley Field on the 29th, a 7 – 5 Cubs win.

The Mets trade experience for youth, sending P Turk Wendell and Dennis Cook to the Phillies in exchange for P Bruce Chen and Adam Walker. The two vets will struggle with the Phils.