HOUSTON _ The A's have traded outfielder Coco Crisp to the Cleveland Indians, with the official announcement due Wednesday.
According to someone close to the outfielder, Crisp waived his no-trade 10-and-5 rights (10 years in the big leagues, the last five with the same team) on Tuesday to facilitate a trade to the team with which he debuted in 2002.
Crisp wasn't in the A's starting lineup Tuesay, which manager Bob Melvin said was "always scheduled as a day off," but the 36-year-old switch hitter packed up and left the Oakland clubhouse at Minute Maid Field about an hour before the start of the game.
Reached by phone, Crisp declined to comment.
After being limited to just 44 games by head and neck problems last year, Crisp has been one of the few Oakland players to avoid the disabled list this year. He's played in 102 of the A's 132 games this season, with a slash line of .234/.299/.399. He's mostly been used by the A's against right-handed pitching, where he's hit .239 compared to .217 against lefties.
Crisp, who came to the A's in 2010, leads the majors with a .424 batting average with runners in scoring position.
The Indians, who are 74-56 and lead the Detroit Tigers by 4{ games in the American League Central, have been trying to cover for the loss to injury of outfielder Michael Brantley. Crisp doesn't necessarily figure to play every day, but he could wind up starting against most right-handed starting pitchers as Cleveland pushes toward the postseason.
Crisp's contract with the A's calls for $11.75 million this year and has a $13 million option for next year that vests if he reaches 130 games played. He needs to play in 28 more games, but the Indians only have 31 games left after Tuesday.
