SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The Arizona Diamondbacks solved one of their roster problems Friday by trading shortstop Tony Womack to the Colorado Rockies for a minor league pitcher.

Womack spent 4 seasons with Arizona, mostly as the team’s leadoff hitter, but became expendable because of the strong showing of young infielders Matt Kata and Alex Cintron, along with the return of Craig Counsell.

Womack, 33, is in the final year of his contract, earning $6 million, half of it deferred. He batted .237 with 15 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 61 games for the Diamondbacks this season.

He has been on the 15-day disabled list since spraining his right knee June 28 and was expected to be activated later Friday in time for the Rockies’ game against San Francisco.

Counsell, back from surgery on his right thumb, has taken over the leadoff spot, while Kata is hitting .330 and Cintron .304 since being called up from Triple-A Tucson. The Diamondbacks had won 20 of 26 heading into Friday night’s game in San Diego to climb back into the NL West race.

The trade helps reduce the crowd in the Arizona infield, but the team still must make room for the return of infielder Junior Spivey from the disabled list soon.

The Diamondbacks acquired right-hander Mike Watson, who was 1-3 with a 5.02 ERA for Class-A Asheville.

Arizona, in need of speed at the time, acquired Womack in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1999. His best season with the Diamondbacks was ’99, when he hit .277 and led the NL in stolen bases for the third consecutive season with a club-record 72.

While Womack’s on-base percentage was not what the Diamondbacks wanted, he had some of the biggest hits in franchise history. The most memorable was his double off Mariano Rivera in Arizona’s ninth-inning rally against the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

Womack leaves the Diamondbacks as the franchise leader in stolen bases with 182, while tying Steve Finley for second in hits at 677.

AP-ES-07-18-03 1923EDT