In exchange, the Royals netted reliever Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco and minor league pitcher Tim Collins, who was acquired by Atlanta in the Alex Gonzalez-Yunel Escobar swap with Toronto earlier this month.
Ankiel has played just 27 games this year in large part due to a right quad strain he suffered in early May. He is hitting .261 with four homers and 15 RBI after spending the previous two seasons as St. Louis’ starting center fielder.
Farnsworth, 34, has been solid out of the Royals’ bullpen this season, pitching to a 2.42 earned-run average over 44 2/3 innings in 37 appearances.
Atlanta had previously acquired the right-hander in a similar deal with the Tigers back in 2005, and Farnsworth was exceptional in his short tenure there, notching 10 saves in 26 appearances and pitching to a minuscule 1.98 ERA.
Chavez has seen action in 28 games out of the bullpen for Atlanta this year, accumulating a 3-2 record and 5.89 ERA. The 26-year-old righty spent his first two big-league seasons in Pittsburgh, where he made 88 relief appearances.
Blanco, 26, has become a bench player for the Braves this season, logging 58 at-bats over 36 games.
The Braves also acquired outfielder Wilkin Ramirez from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday for a player to be named later or cash considerations by November, 20, 2010.
