Mets Trade Kirk Nieuwenhuis To Angels
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York Mets have found a taker for Kirk Nieuwenhuis.
The slumping utility outfielder has been traded to the Los Angeles Angels for cash, the clubs announced on Wednesday.
Nieuwenhuis was designated for assignment May 19 to make room for Triple-A outfielder Darrell Ceciliani on the roster. He started the season with a dreadful .079 average after batting .259 in 61 games last year.
Nieuwenhuis, 27, is a career .230 hitter in four seasons (226 games) with New York.
"It's very hard," Mets manager Terry Collins said last week. "Kirk worked very hard. He had a tremendous spring. It's just a very, very difficult role. ... He never got into a rhythm at all. It's a real tough job."