PHOENIX - In a trade involving two injured players, the Arizona Diamondbacks sent Bronson Arroyo and last year's first-round draft pick Touki Toussaint to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Phil Gosselin.

The 38-year-old Arroyo has not pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery last July 18. He signed with Arizona as a free agent before last season after eight years with the Cincinnati Reds.

Arroyo was in the second year of a two-year, $23.5 million contract with an $11 million club option and a $4.5 million buyout for 2016.

"It is more of what we are trying to do. The money is definitely important," Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart said. "We said that we are going to try to do what we can to promote our young pitchers but also give ourselves a chance to make some savings so that we can have an opportunity to do things at a later date."

The 19-year-old Toussaint, the 16th pick overall in the 2014 draft, was 2-2 with a 3.69 ERA in seven starts for Class A Kane County. In two seasons in the Diamondbacks' system, he was 4-6 with a 5.65 ERA.

"In order to move the (Arroyo) contract, Touki had to become a part of it," Stewart said.

Braves assistant general manager John Coppolella said Toussaint was the key to the deal,

"He was a guy we really liked in the 2014 draft," Coppolella said. "We picked 31 and he was long gone by then. We had him in our top 10 of our 2014 draft board. Obviously, Toussaint is a huge, huge piece for the future."

The trade came on Toussaint's birthday and exactly a year after he signed with Arizona.

Gosselin, 26, has been on the 15-day disabled list since May 18 with a fractured left thumb. He was hitting .325 (13-for-40) with four doubles and two RBIs in 20 games.

"He is a gritty, tough, competitive type of infielder," Stewart said. "He plays second, short, third utility-type role player. In our scouting reports, (we) liken him to (Justin) Turner in Los Angeles. Not the same type of power, but he possesses that ability to hit and put the ball in the gaps."

Stewart said Gosselin is expected back in about four weeks.

Stewart said Arroyo is due to return sometime from mid-July to early August. Arroyo, talking to reporters after Saturday night's Arizona-San Diego game, was less optimistic.

"I am behind the 8-ball a little bit," he said. "I still have one spot in my elbow I haven't been able to get the pain out of. I am probably not looking to pitch in a game until then. If I can get back to mid-August, that will be good, but I don't even know if I will pitch this year."

Asked whether the Braves would use Arroyo as a starter or out of the bullpen, Coppolella said: "I think we need to wait until he comes back and see. Obviously, he has been a starter for the last six, seven years. He has in the past pitched out of the pen. Probably right now, it's too early to say."

Arroyo said he was not surprised he was traded, but surprised it came while he was still hurt.

He had never been on the disabled list in his long pro career before he blew out his elbow a year ago.

"The most difficult part is honestly the fact that I pitched for 10, 12 years for other ballclub and gave them their money's worth and nobody could ever say that Bronson Arroyo kind of shortened the team," he said. "Coming here, I gave them 14 starts and seven wins for a two-year deal that was pretty expensive. It is definitely disappointing on my part and I would have loved to give them a little bit more."

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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report.