Sox Trade Lars Anderson to Indians for Knuckleball Pitcher
Ken Bell
RED SOX ACQUIRE RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER STEVEN WRIGHT FROM CLEVELAND
IN EXCHANGE FOR FIRST BASEMAN/OUTFIELDER LARS ANDERSON
BOSTON, MA—The
Boston Red Sox today acquired right-handed pitcher Steven Wright from
the Cleveland Indians in exchange for first baseman/outfielder Lars
Anderson. Wright has been assigned to Double-A Portland.
The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington.
Wright,
a 27-year-old knuckleballer, has spent the 2012 season with the Indians
Double-A affiliate in Akron, going 9-6 with a 2.49 ERA (32 ER/115.2 IP)
and 101 strikeouts in 20 starts. He leads Eastern League qualifiers
with a .207 opponent batting average (86-for-416) and also places among
EL leaders in ERA (2nd) and strikeouts (4th).
The right-hander has held opponents to one or no earned runs or in 14
of his 20 outings this season. A second-round selection by Cleveland in
the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Wright is 38-33 with seven saves, a
3.95 ERA (296 ER/673.2 IP) and 557 strikeouts in 186 career minor league
appearances, including 103 starts, over six seasons since 2007.
Anderson,
24, is batting .259 (88-for-340) with 22 doubles, two triples, nine
home runs, 52 RBI, 49 runs and 56 walks in 93 games for Triple-A
Pawtucket this season, including 66 games at first base and 16 in left
field. He appeared in six games for the Red Sox this season, going
1-for-8 (.125) with a run scored. Selected by Boston in the 18th
round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Anderson played in 30 Major
League contests with Boston over the last three seasons, batting .167
(8-for-48) with a double, four RBI, seven runs scored and seven walks.
— RED SOX —
