The Minnesota Twins said they decided to trade Jim Thome, their designated hitter, to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for a player to be named later.
The Thursday trade reunites Thome with the team he broke in with and hit 334 home runs for over 12 seasons.
"It's a bittersweet deal," Twins General Manager Bill Smith told the Minneapolis Star Tribune, "but there's no question that this is the right thing to do for Jim Thome.
"He is all the superlative things we knew we were getting two years ago when he came here. At this point in his Hall of Fame career, this is the right thing for him."
As he heads back to Cleveland, Thome has 601 career homers, eighth on the all-time list.
In 179 games with the Twins, he hit 37 homers and drove in 99 runs.
“Jim Thome is a Hall of Fame-caliber player and person,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. “He has meant so much to this organization both on and off the field and it is an honor to bring him back in an Indians uniform where he created so many great memories.
“Having his bat and presence in the middle of the lineup certainly improves our team.”
The teams had until 1 p.m. Friday to make a deal for Thome, who could have blocked the trade but decided to go back to where it all began - and where it will likely end before an induction in Cooperstown, N.Y, The Washington Post reported.
