Denver ? The Colorado Rockies failed to find the impact bat and speedy outfielder they were looking for Monday but did acquire the bullpen help they feel can bolster their chances of making a playoff run in the NL West.

The Rockies acquired pitchers Jeremy Affeldt and Denny Bautista from Kansas City for right-handed reliever Scott Dohmann and slugging minor league first baseman Ryan Shealy, who was stuck behind veteran Todd Helton in Colorado.

“He deserves a chance to play. He’ll get it there,” Helton said after Shealy picked up his bags at Coors Field and caught a flight to Kansas City. “I like what we got. Jeremy Affeldt has good stuff. He has major-league stuff.”

Affeldt gives the Rockies a seventh arm in the bullpen. Bautista was sent to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

Affeldt began the year in the Kansas City rotation, but held opponents to a .174 batting average and compiled a 2.96 ERA in 18 relief appearances since moving to the Royals’ bullpen about two months ago.

“I’ve not seen Affeldt pitch poorly since I’ve been in the organization,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. “It is tough to part with quality left-handed pitching. Bautista is a guy with a power arm. It took a lot of analysis for us back-and-forth to feel comfortable to go forward and make the deal. Ultimately, we just felt it made us better.”

Shealy hit .284 with 15 home runs, 16 doubles and 55 RBIs in 222 at-bats with the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate in Colorado Springs. He went 2-for-9 with two doubles in five games with the Rockies.

Shealy batted .328 with 26 home runs, 30 doubles and 88 RBIs last year with Colorado Springs. He hit .330 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 36 games with Colorado in 2005. Shealy was the Texas League player of the year in 2004.

“Ryan Shealy many people in baseball feel is an emerging power-type bat,” Moore said. “He’s always hit in the minor leagues, and he’s been stuck behind Todd Helton. Talking to some people, that I trust over there in Colorado, they feel this guy just needs an opportunity to play and play every day. Ryan Shealy will be part of our future.”

Affeldt was 4-6 with a 5.91 ERA in 27 games, including nine starts, for the Royals this season. Bautista began the season in Kansas City’s rotation, but was sent to Triple-A Omaha with an 0-2 record and 5.66 ERA in eight games, seven of them starts.

Stairs dealt to Rangers

for AAA pitcher Diaz

Arlington, Texas – The Texas Rangers acquired first baseman-outfielder Matt Stairs from the Kansas City Royals on Monday for minor league right-hander Joselo Diaz.

Stairs is a veteran left-hander who will primarily be a designated hitter and pinch hitter.

Stairs hit .261 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs in 77 games for the Royals. He has only two RBIs in 25 games this month, with an RBI single Friday against the Rangers that was his first in 16 games.

Texas will be Stairs’ eighth organization in 14 major league seasons. He is a .266 career hitter with 215 home runs in 1,376 games.

“We addressed our key needs without moving any of our real core guys,” Daniels said. “We reached our goal of improving for now without killing ourselves for the future. We feel we can win (the AL West) under the right circumstances. … We want to capitalize on our opportunity.”