Danny Knobler

The Dodgers have agreed to a trade with Cleveland for third baseman Casey Blake, CBSSports.com has confirmed.

The Indians will pay part of Blake's $6.1 million contract.

The trade, announced early Saturday afternoon, sends catcher Carlos Santana and right-hander Jon Meloan to the Indians. Santana is the key to the deal for the Indians. In 99 games this season at Class A Inland Empire, he's hitting .323 with 14 home runs, 96 RBIs and more walks than strikeouts.

Blake has been hot over the last month, with a .347 average, four home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 21 games. The Dodgers had been looking for a shortstop, but with the market thin at that position, they shifted their focus and obtained Blake to play third base and give them an offensive boost.

Dodger third basemen have batted .245 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs. All three totals are among the lowest in the majors this year.

Blake has been coveted by several teams, in part because of his ability to play multiple positions. He's played third and first for the Indians this year, and as recently as 2006 he played 93 games in the outfield.

The trade is more bad news for the Mets, who had pursued Blake as an outfielder and had also tried to trade for Xavier Nady, who was instead dealt from Pittsburgh to the New York Yankees Friday night. The Mets could turn to Seattle outfielder Raul Ibanez, who they've already discussed, even though they would prefer to acquire a right-handed hitter.

The Mets have been hindered in trade talks by their lack of depth in position-player prospects.

"There's only one position player in the system," said one scout who knows the Mets organization.

The player he referred to is outfielder Fernando Martinez, who is at Double-A Binghamton but has been out of the lineup with a right hamstring strain.