Yankees acquire Kerry Wood from Indians

Only the Yankees could afford a $10 million setup man.

So, naturally, the Indians Saturday traded Kerry Wood to the Yankees.

Following their game in Toronto Saturday the Indians traded Wood and cash to New York for a player to be named later or cash. The transaction must be completed by Oct. 15, but don’t expect anything major coming back to the Tribe in this one.

Although the Indians are sending some cash to the Yankees, it’s not much. This is strictly a salary-relief trade. The player to be named later, according to a source, will be of no consequence. It’s the Indians’ second trade with the Yankees in less than 24 hours. Friday night they traded outfielder Austin Kearns to the Yankees.

The Wood trade is the Indians’ fourth in the last four days and their fifth trade of a veteran since June 27.

Wood hasn’t appeared in a game for the Indians since July 11. He had been on the disabled list since then with a blister on his right index finger, and was only activated prior to Saturday’s game.

“Obviously I’m disappointed in my performance since I came to Cleveland, and what we did as a team, but that’s part of the game,’’ said Wood. “I would have liked to have held up my part of the bargain better than I did, but it is what it is.’’

Wood is in the final year of one of the worst contracts the Indians have ever given a player - a two-year $20.5 million deal. What made the contract bad was that the Indians signed a high-priced closer when they weren’t fully committed to winning. As soon as the team struggled in the first half of last year, team management immediately began dismantling it, turning Wood into an expensive piece of unnecessary bullpen furniture.

This year Wood made two trips onto the disabled list, and wasn’t really needed much when he was healthy.

In 23 appearances he was 1-4, with a 6.30 ERA and 8 saves.