Mariners Pick Up Mulholland Yankees Deal For Fielder, Send Sierra To Lowly Tigers

The Seattle Mariners added pitching help for the second day in a row as they picked up left-hander Terry Mulholland from Philadelphia in just one of many deals made Wednesday.

The New York Yankees acquired slugger Cecil Fielder from the Detroit Tigers, with only about an hour remaining until the midnight trading deadline.

The Yankees gave up Ruben Sierra and minor league pitcher Matt Dawes for the Tigers star, who had been vocal about wanting to escape Detroit and play for a contender. The Yankees led Baltimore by 10 games in the A.L. East, while Detroit had the worst record in the major leagues.

The deal was the second of the day involving a big power hitter. Earlier, the San Diego Padres acquired all-star outfielder Greg Vaughn from the Milwaukee Brewers.

In other deals, Los Angeles acquired Chad Curtis from Detroit and the Yankees sent Mark Hutton to the Florida Marlins for David Weathers in an exchange of pitchers.

The Tigers also traded right handed pitcher Greg Gohr to California for infielder Damion Easley.

The Texas Rangers acquired lefthander Mike Stanton from Boston Red Sox right-handers Mark Brandenberg and Kerry Lacy.

The Mariners hope that Mullholland will fill a void in Seattle left by the absence of Randy Johnson, who has been on the disabled list with a nerve problem in his back. The Mariners picked up southpaw Jamie Moyer from the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Darren Bragg on Tuesday.

The Mariners acquired Mullholland for a top prospect, minor-league infielder Desi Relaford.

Mulholland, 33, was among several Phillies on the trading block as Philadelphia, which has the N.L.’s worst record, begins to build for the future.

In Mulholland, the Mariners obtained a pitcher who revived his career this season in Philadelphia after going 5-13 with a 5.80 ERA last year in San Francisco. With the Phillies, who have won only 43 games, Mulholland was 8-7 with a 4.66 ERA in 21 starts. He led the Phillies in complete games with three and innings with 133-1/3.

Phillies general manager Lee Thomas said he had offered Mulholland to the Mariners for the 22-year-old Relaford several days ago, but Mariners general manager Woody Woodward didn’t want to give up the young infielder.

“At about 5 o’clock, he called and said, ‘If you want to do the deal, let’s do it,”’ Thomas said. “He is the best-looking young shortstop that we could acquire.”

Fielder, who hit 51 homers in 1990 - including his 50th at Yankee Stadium - has hit at least 28 homers in six consecutive seasons. He is hitting .248 this year with 26 homers and 80 RBIs.

Detroit has been interested in trading Fielder, but his salary has been a drawback. He is due $2,360,656 for the remainder of this season and $7.2 million in 1997, part of a five-year contract worth $36,187,500.

Vaughn will fill a power need for the Padres, who are in the midst of a tight race in the N.L. West. Vaughn is having his best season with 31 home runs, 95 RBIs and a .280 batting average, but he was eligible for free agency following the season and the Brewers were thought to have little hope of signing him.

The Padres gave up three prospects for the 31-year-old all-star outfielder former Spokane pitcher Bryce Florie, ex-Seattle pitching prospect Ron Villone and outfielder Marc Newfield.

Vaughn, who homered twice against Seattle on Tuesday night, was signed by the Brewers in 1986 and had spent his entire career with the organization.

The Dodgers were in need of a leadoff hitter to fill the hole left by Brett Butler, who is on the disabled list with throat cancer. The Dodgers gave up minor league pitchers John Cummings and Joey Eischen for the Detroit center fielder.