Zaun goes to Tampa Bay

GLENDALE — St. Francis High graduate Gregg Zaun is back in the playoff hunt.

Zaun, a Glendale native, was acquired Friday by the Tampa Bay Rays from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Zaun, who graduated from St. Francis in 1989, planned to join the Rays, who captured the American League championship last season for the first time in the franchise’s history, on their road trip that began Friday in Seattle. Tampa Bay entered Friday’s contest in third place in the competitive America League East Division behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.

“We had some accelerated conversations with Baltimore,” Tampa Bay Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said via a conference call Friday afternoon from Seattle. “Anyway we can upgrade the club, we feel like it’s our responsibility.

“We are excited to add Gregg. He’s got lots of experience, and he’s been a Rays’ killer. It’s good to have him on our side.”