Royals trade reliever Angel Zerpa to Brewers for outfielder Isaac Collins and pitcher Nick Mears

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals traded left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa to the Milwaukee Brewers for versatile outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Collins hit .263 with nine homers and 54 RBIs in 130 games last year, his first full season in the big leagues. He made 100 starts in left field, six in right field and two at designated hitter along with a start at second base.

The Royals have been searching for an upgrade to their outfield for the past two offseasons. The trade for Collins comes days after they agreed to a $5.25 million contract with veteran outfielder Lane Thomas for next season.

The 29-year-old Mears had a career-best 3.49 ERA for Milwaukee last season. He also has pitched for the Pirates and Rockies.

The 26-year-old Zerpa made a career-high 69 appearances for the Royals last season, when he had a 4.18 ERA. He has proven to be a dependable middle-innings reliever for Kansas City, wich signed him as an international free agent in 2016.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb