The man the Red Sox almost acquired from the Texas Rangers last year in the aborted Mike Lowell deal -- catcher Max Ramirez -- is in Boston at last.
The Rangers placed Ramirez on waivers last week and he was claimed Tuesday by the Sox. Ramirez, 25, batted .217 in 25 games with Texas last year and hit .286, with a .373 on-base percentage and a .381 slugging percentage, in 56 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
According to Jayson Stark of ESPN via twitter, the Red Sox have signed Tony Pena Jr. to a minor league contract, which will come with an invite to spring training. Pena was previously signed with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the San Fransisco Giants minor league affiliate. Last season Pena posted 62 strikeouts in 76 13 innings.