Former NU star Peņa is added to the mix

The Red Sox, who have been casting about for a lefthanded hitter for some time, last night came to terms on a deal with Carlos Peña, the Haverhill native and former Northeastern star who has spent the summer in the minor leagues.

Peña, who is expected to report today to Triple A Pawtucket, was released by Detroit in March and signed with the Yankees April 15. Peña was leading the Columbus Clippers, the Yankees' Triple A affiliate, in home runs (19) and RBIs (66) while batting .260. But yesterday, Pena exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to ask for his release to pursue a major league deal.

The club last night would not confirm the deal.

Peña, a first-round choice by the Texas Rangers out of Northeastern in 1998, is joining his fifth organization, having also played for the Athletics and Tigers before signing with the Yankees for $1.25 million, with an additional $500,000 in incentives.

The Sox passed on Peña this spring, electing to sign Hee-Seop Choi, who has been a bust in Pawtucket, hitting just .207 in 66 games while spending a large chunk of the season on the disabled list. Choi was placed back on the DL with a strained back yesterday by the PawSox.

As recently as 2004, Peña hit 27 home runs and drove in 82 runs for the Tigers and appeared on the verge of fulfilling his considerable promise. But last season, he took another step backward, batting just .235 with 18 home runs and 44 RBIs, striking out 95 times in 260 at-bats, and was sent down to Toledo.

A cautious Felipe Peña, Carlos's father, was reluctant to speak about the deal until it became official. ``I don't know any details of the deal," he said. ``We're really, truly very happy that he's going to be heading back to Boston."

Gabe Kapler first heard about it when he walked into the clubhouse and one of the Sox strength coaches told him he'd heard a caller on a radio talk show wondering what Kapler was reading in the dugout the other night, when TV cameras showed him in the late stages of a close game.

``He said, `Some caller wanted to know, `What's Kapler doing, reading on the bench, not paying attention to the game?' ' "

Kapler shook his head. ``This is, like, an all-time low," he said. ``Most people know what kind of player I am.

``I was reading the Detroit Tigers media guide. The media guide has statistics and splits, lefty-righty matchups. Our pitching coaches depend on it. It sits right there on the podium, with the advance scouting reports. I was reading it before [closer] Todd Jones came into the game."

For the record, the book Kapler most recently had on his nightstand, as opposed to the dugout, is ``Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . and Others Don't," by Jim Collins.

The red T-shirt Kapler wore under his uniform said ``Red Sox" in Hebrew. ``The community relations girls got it for me today," he said.

The Tigers yesterday placed second baseman Placido Polanco on the disabled list with a separated left shoulder. Polanco sustained the injury making a diving catch of Doug Mirabelli's blooper in the seventh inning Tuesday, a play that could have been a game-saver.

Do the Red Sox think Polanco is a good player? ``Good player?" said reliever Julian Tavarez. ``I'm a good player. He's a hell of a player."

Tavarez, who spoke with Polanco on the phone, said Polanco told him he was out for the season, but the Tigers' medical staff has not ruled out the possibility he will return. Omar Infante, who started last night, will get most of the playing time in his absence, though the Tigers also called up infielder Ramon Santiago from Triple A Toledo.

David Ortiz began the night without a home run in his last six games (20 at-bats), but that streak ended when he hit his 42d home run in the fifth inning. That was the longest he had gone without a home run since May 20-30. Ortiz was batting .150 (3 for 20) with a double and one RBI in that span. He also walked seven times, but has scored just once. Asked if he was dragging a little, he said, ``Not really." . . . Francona said Jason Johnson will pitch the first game of tomorrow's doubleheader, with rookie Jon Lester going in the nightcap. Francona expects the Yankees to go with Chien-Ming Wang in the first game and Sidney Ponson in the second . . . Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield played long toss in the outfield yesterday, and Francona reiterated his hope that Wakefield will be able to pitch in Seattle next weekend . . . Francona said reliever Keith Foulke will be activated tomorrow . . . Sean Casey, the Tigers' first baseman and longtime friend of Lawrence priest Paul O'Brien, yesterday visited Cor Unum, the center to feed the hungry built by the organization O'Brien heads, labelsareforjars.org. ``It's almost ready to open," said Casey, who gave his financial support to the center. ``It's an unbelievable thing."

Globe correspondent Kelsie Smith contributed to this report.