Diamondbacks trade closer Ziegler to Red Sox for 2 prospects

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) The Arizona Diamondbacks have traded closer Brad Ziegler to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for two minor league prospects.

The deal was announced late Friday night after the Diamondbacks' 6-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants.

Ziegler, who owns Arizona's club record of 43 consecutive saves, is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season. Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart had been in talks with Ziegler's agents regarding an extension but those negotiations stalled.

That led to the trade that netted prospects Jose Almonte, a right-handed pitcher, and infielder Luis Alejandro Basabe.

''With no real certainty of whether we'd be able to bring (Ziegler) back on a multi-year deal we just decided that we'd be able to get some pretty good prospects for him,'' Stewart said. ''The core of our team is still here. This isn't a case of us throwing in the towel at all.''

Ziegler was 2-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 18 saves in 36 appearances this season. For his career, he is 32-24 with a 2.49 ERA and 81 saves over nine seasons.

The Diamondbacks' latest loss dropped them 17 games behind the Giants in the NL West, and 10 behind the New York Mets for the league's second wild card.

''I don't really any words to say about it, it's just something that has to happen,'' manager Chip Hale said. ''It's partially (because) we haven't played well enough to keep him. We should have played better and these things wouldn't be happening.''