The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - Desperate to score runs and willing to take a chance, the Los Angeles Dodgers got troubled outfielder Milton Bradley from the Cleveland Indians in a trade Sunday for a minor leaguer and a player to be named.

The deal capped a tumultuous week for the Indians' cleanup hitter. He was pulled from an exhibition game Wednesday by manager Eric Wedge for failing to run out a pop fly that dropped, barred from training camp the next day and later sent to the minors.

Bradley was expected to start in center field today when Los Angeles opens at home against San Diego.

"I think Milton's gotten a bad rap to this point," Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said. "I actually talked to him this morning and he said that this was the best thing he could have possibly hoped for."

Said Indians manager Eric Wedge: "It's disappointing it didn't work out here."

"We feel like we have to handle this thing appropriately and that's what we're trying to do," he said before an exhibition game against the Phillies.

The Dodgers, whose 574 runs were the fewest in the majors last season, sent outfielder Franklin Gutierrez to Cleveland. He was the Dodgers' minor league player of the year in 2003.

Bradley hit .321 with 10 homers and 56 RBI and stole a team-leading 17 bases in 2003. He did it while missing the final six weeks because of a lower back injury, and was sidelined for 61 games because of injuries.

METS: Second baseman Jose Reyes was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring.

Reyes, 20, injured his hamstring March 14 while stealing a base during a spring training game against Minnesota and has not played since.

ATHLETICS: Oakland agreed to a contract with Mark McLemore to boost its ailing infield.

"It's the perfect situation," A's assistant general manager David Forst said.

Second baseman Mark Ellis is expected to be out at least two months with a dislocated right shoulder and backup infielder Frank Menechino is sidelined with a strained right right calf.

RED SOX: Moeller product Adam Hyzdu was optioned to the minor leagues.

Hyzdu, 31, played 51 games with the Pirates last season, hitting .206 in 51 games.

He played in parts of the past four seasons for the Pirates, appearing in 173 games.