Slumping Twins trade Bobby Kielty to Blue Jays

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The slumping Minnesota Twins acquired outfielder Shannon Stewart and a player to be named later on Wednesday from the Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Bobby Kielty.

Stewart was batting .294 with 47 runs, seven homers and 35 RBIs as Toronto's leadoff hitter and left fielder. He missed almost a month in June with a strained hamstring.

The Twins -- losers of 22 of their last 28 games -- tried to trade in 2001 for Stewart, 29, who once stole 51 bases for the Blue Jays in 1998. He had his best season in 2000, batting .319 with 21 homers, 107 runs, 20 steals and 69 RBIs.

Kielty is a switch-hitter who had been sharing time with Dustan Mohr and others in right field since the beginning of 2002. His average has dipped to .252 this year, and he has nine homers and 32 RBIs in 238 at-bats.

Stewart will likely bat leadoff and play right field for the Twins, allowing left fielder Jacque Jones to move into a run-producing spot in the lineup.