HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox obtained third baseman Kelly Johnson from the New York Yankees for shortstop Stephen Drew on Thursday.
Drew hit .253 for the World Series champion Red Sox last year but did not accept a $14.1 million qualifying offer. He became a restricted free agent but any team signing him would have had to give Boston a draft choice.
So he was still available when the Red Sox re-signed him on May 22.
He was an upgrade on defense over rookie Xander Bogaerts, who moved to third base. But he hit just .176 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 39 games.
He will likely play second base for New York.
Johnson is hitting .219 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 77 games and is on the disabled list.
Boston also sent cash to New York.
It was one of four trades the last-place Red Sox made Thursday before the trade deadline. They sent left-hander Jon Lester and outfielder Jonny Gomes to the Oakland Athletics, right-hander John Lackey to the St. Louis Cardinals and left-handed reliever Andrew Miller to the Baltimore Orioles.
“Once the Lester and Lackey stuff got done,” Boston general manager Ben Cherington said, “we shifted our focus more toward Miller.
“The Drew thing really just came together really late,” he said.
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