CLEVELANDIn a surprising move for a team that seems ready for an infusion of youth, the Red Sox have signed outfielder Scott Podsednik to a major league deal and returned Ryan Kalish to the minor leagues.
The Sox traded Podsednik to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with righty reliever Matt Albers in exchange for lefthander Craig Breslow at the July 31 trade deadline, but Podsednik refused to go to the minor leagues and was granted free agency by the D-Backs.
Podsednik, 36, was excellent for the Sox while filling in for injured players. He hit .387 with one homer and seven RBI and .893 OPS in 62 at-bats while filling in as an energy outfielder in Jacoby Ellsbury's absence. Perhaps the move was spurred on by a lower body issue that has nagged at Ellsbury over the past week, but Kalish also hasnt done much with the opportunities given to him this season in Boston.
The young outfielder has hit .203.247.241 in 25 games for the Sox, and hasnt been able to consistently establish himself offensively amid some sporadic playing time in multiple stints in Boston. He was again sent back to Triple-A Pawtucket.
Podsednik gives them a veteran thats accustomed to coming off the bench and maximizing whatever limited playing time can be available with Ellsbury, Carl Crawford and Cody Ross all presumably healthy right now.
Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal was the first to have the report of the Podsednik signing and the demotion of Kalish.