NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Mets traded seldom-used infielder Rey Sanchez to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday for minor league outfielder Kenny Kelly – a former college quarterback at Miami.

Sanchez was hitting .207 with 12 RBIs in 174 at-bats this season with New York. He was signed as a free agent in the offseason as a replacement for Rey Ordonez, who was traded to Tampa Bay. But injuries and the emergence of young shortstop Jose Reyes made it difficult for manager Art Howe to get Sanchez into the lineup.

Sanchez has one-third of his $1.3 million salary left for this season, and the Mariners will pay a portion of that, Mets interim general manager Jim Duquette said. The infielder took batting practice before Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers and was informed of the deal shortly before the first pitch.

Sanchez is expected to be available for the Mariners’ game Wednesday at home against Detroit.

With shortstop Carlos Guillen hobbled by a groin injury, the Mariners needed some help. Guillen was forced to come out of Monday night’s game.

Sanchez will also help offset the loss of Seattle third baseman Jeff Cirillo, who recently was placed on the disabled list because of a partially dislocated right shoulder.

Sanchez went on the disabled list on May 15 due to a sprained left thumb. He came off on May 27, only to go back on for the same reason 14 days later.

Kelly was selected by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 1997 draft and was traded to Seattle in April 2001.

He was hitting .246 with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in 96 games at Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners designated him for assignment and removed him from their 40-man roster this season before re-signing him as a minor league free agent.

The Mets assigned Kelly to Triple-A Norfolk.

After redshirting his freshman year in 1997, Kelly became Miami’s starting quarterback in 1999.

AP-ES-07-29-03 2054EDT