INQUIRER Sports

PHILADELPHIA ? Roy Halladay joined the Philadelphia Phillies and Cliff Lee went to the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in a four-team trade that shifted two Major League Baseball superstar pitchers.

The Toronto Blue Jays confirmed Wednesday that they had sent Halladay, a 32-year-old right-hander, and $6 million to the Phillies in exchange for three minor-league prospects.

"Without question, Roy is one of the top pitchers in the game," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jnr said. "He has the talent, professionalism and makeup that embody what we look for in players."

Earlier, the Phillies traded southpaw Cliff Lee to the Mariners for three minor-leaguers.

"We are very excited to have Cliff Lee on board," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "It goes without saying what a quality pitcher and competitor he is and what he will mean to our ballclub and organization."

Toronto traded Taylor to Oakland for third baseman Brett Wallace to complete the complex swap that satisfied salary concerns for all clubs, boosted the Seattle rotation and gave the Phillies a star after losing a 2009 playoff hero.

Halladay agreed to a three-year contract extension through 2013 for $60 million with the Phillies as part of the deal that gave him a long-awaited exit from the major league's only Canadian club.

Halladay was mentioned for years as a trade target but no deal ever became complete and the idea that he would be dealt eventually to a title contender began to weigh upon the Blue Jays.

This season, Halladay went 17-10 with a 2.79 earned-run average, leading the American League with nine complete games and four shutouts.

"Roy is known as the best pitcher in baseball and will have instant respect," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's a No. 1, a blue chipper and I expect him to stabilize our pitching staff. Roy brings a great work ethic and tremendous character and he'll have a big presence in our clubhouse."

Lee, a 31-year-old left-hander, was obtained by the Phillies last July from Cleveland. He went 7-4 with a 3.39 earned-run average and 4-0 in the playoffs with a 1.56 earned-run average.

Lee won the only two games that the defending champion Phillies captured from the New York Yankees in the World Series. The Yankees defeated the Phillies four games to two in the best-of-seven championship final.

The Mariners did not make a contract extension a component of the deal for Lee, who has one year for nine million dollars remaining on his contract.

"It's never easy trading a player of Cliff's caliber, but we felt it was the right move to make at this time," Amaro said.