4:11pm: The Yanks will receive the Nationals' Rule 5 pick for Bruney, reports Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News.
12:51pm: The Nationals confirmed the deal via a press release. They released Saul Rivera to make room for Bruney. Rivera, 32 today, posted a 6.10 ERA in 38.3 innings for the Nats this year. Releasing a man on his birthday…for shame! Saul did receive one gift: he's now on our 2010 free agents list.
11:56am: The Nationals acquired reliever Brian Bruney from the Yankees for a player to be named later, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Bruney, who is arbitration-eligible, is due a small raise on this year's $1.25MM salary. He's under team control through 2011.
The hard-throwing righty, who turns 28 in February, posted a 3.92 ERA in 39 innings this year, striking out 36 but walking 23. Plagued by elbow troubles, Bruney was bumped from the Yankees' set-up role for Phil Hughes in July. He figures to be high in the pecking order of Washington's pen, perhaps even a closer candidate if Mike MacDougal is non-tendered.
