• NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: Chase Headley #12 of the New York Yankees hits a double during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in Game Five of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775058095 Photo: Elsa / 2017 Getty Images
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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: Chase Headley #12 of the New York Yankees hits a double during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in Game Five of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2017 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 775058095 less
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 18: Chase Headley #12 of the New York Yankees hits a double during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros in Game Five of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium ... more
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Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The Yankees traded third baseman Chase Headley and pitcher Bryan Mitchell and $500,000 to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday, giving New York added payroll flexibility and room for infield prospects.

New York received 28-year-old outfielder Jabari Blash, who made his big league debut in 2016 and has played in 99 big league games over two seasons.

A day after finalizing its acquisition of NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton from Miami, the Yankees dealt with their infield logjam and cut their payroll to about $167 million for luxury tax purposes. Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is intent on getting under the $197 million tax threshold next year, and New York still may attempt to re-sign left-hander CC Sabathia or add another starting pitcher.

Headley, who turns 34 in May, lost his third base job and shifted to first when the Yankees acquired Todd Frazier last summer. While Frazier became a free agent, the Yankees appear intent on letting 21-year-old Miguel Andujar compete for third base in spring training. Trading Headley also could signal the Yankees may try to re-sign Frazier, a New Jersey native.

Gleyber Torres, who turns 21 this week, could be a third base option or have a chance to take over at second following the trade of Starlin Castro to the Marlins in the Stanton deal.

Headley, returning to the team that selected him in the second round of the 2005 amateur draft, has a $13 million salary next season in 2018, which completes a $52 million, four-year deal. He receives a $1 million assignment bonus for getting traded, and his deal calls for $250,000 bonuses each for 475, 500, 525 and 550 plate appearances. The Yankees must make their $500,000 payment to the Padres by Jan. 10.

He hit .273 with 12 homers and 61 RBIs this year and has a .264 average with 130 homers and 592 RBIs in 11 major league seasons with San Diego and the Yankees, who acquired him in July 2014 for infielder Yangervis Solarte and right-hander Rafael De Paula.

Mitchell was 1-1 with a 5.79 ERA this year in one start and 19 relief appearances and 3-3 with a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts and one relief appearance at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Blash hit .213 with five homers and 16 RBIs this year for San Diego and .285 with 20 homers and 62 RBIs for Triple-A El Paso.

San Diego also acquired infielder Deion Tansel from Tampa Bay for infielder Ryan Schimpf.

Cubs: Free-agent reliever Brandon Morrow, 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA for the Dodgers, has agreed to a two-year contract. ... Radio analyst Ron Coomer has agreed to a multiyear contract extension. The 51-year-old has been working alongside play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes since 2013.

Hall of Fame: Sheldon Ocker, 75, who covered the Cleveland Indians from 1981-2013 for the Akron Beacon Journal in Ohio, has won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing.