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Diamondbacks Trade Joe Saunders To Orioles

Saunders hasn't been the same pitcher since 2008 and didn't perform up to his 2008 standards during his short tenure with the Diamondbacks.

By Ronald Clark
ST. LOUIS, MO - AUGUST 15: Starter Joe Saunders #34 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 15, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - AUGUST 15: Starter Joe Saunders #34 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 15, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Getty Images

As first reported by FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal on Saturday and then again by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman on Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks will trade left-hander Joe Saunders to the Baltimore Orioles. According to a tweet from Major League Baseball, the Diamondbacks will get right-hander Matt Lindstrom and a player to be named later in return for Saunders.

The 31-year-old Saunders is 6-10 for the D-backs with a 4.22 ERA during a disappointing season. He came to Arizona via trade from the Los Angeles Angels in 2010.

Saunders' best season came in 2008 with the Angels when he went 17-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 31 starts, but hasn't reached that level of pitching since and has now been traded twice.

The Diamondbacks currently sit seven games behind the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants and are 5.5 games out of a wild card spot.

For more on Saunders and the Diamonbacks, check out AZ Snake Pit.