The Red Sox on Wednesday officially acquired outfielder Mark Kotsay from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league outfielder Luis Sumoza. Kotsay is expected to join the team in New York and will wear No. 11. The 32-year-old is batting .289 with 6 homers and 37 RBI in 81 games this season. According to Foxsports.com, Kotsay will receive a $325,000 bonus for agreeing to waive his no-trade clause for the Red Sox, one of eight teams reportedly on his no-trade list. The 20-year-old Sumoza is hitting .301 with 11 homers and 38 RBIs for the Single-A Lowell Spinners. The Kotsay deal gives the Red Sox some needed depth in the outfield. Right fielder J.D. Drew went on the disabled list yesterday with a back strain, retroactive to Aug. 18. He came out of a game on the 17th after injuring himself backing up Jacoby Ellsbury in the field.

The Rockies have placed reliever Brian Fuentes and speedster Willy Taveras on waivers and are looking to deal, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. Fuentes in particular should draw hits from most contenders -- including the Red Sox, who reportedly had interest at the July 31 non-waiver deadline. "There's nobody like him available," an executive of one contender told Stark. "So I'd be surprised if every team in contention didn't claim him." Stark adds that the Dodgers -- who have the worst record (65-66) of any contender -- would have the best chance to deal for Fuentes.

The Tigers have placed ageless lefty Kenny Rogers on waivers, and ESPN's Buster Olney reports in a video blog that the Red Sox and Yankees are interested in claiming him. Because their record is worse than Boston's, the Yankees can block any claim the Red Sox make on the 44-year-old. Opponents have hit .312 off him since the All-Star break, and he's lost five of his last six starts. Rogers has a 9-11 record with a 5.09 ERA in 27 starts this season.

The Red Sox have signed ex-Reds catcher David Ross to a minor-league deal, reports Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Ross was released as the struggling Reds audition AAA catcher Ryan Hanigan, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Ross, 31, hit 17 homers in 311 ABs in 2007, and 21 homers in 247 ABs in 2006. He also owns a .390 OBP this season, despite hitting .231 with 3 homers (51 games of action).

The Red Sox would like to add relief help, and one of the interesting names in play is Colorado reliever Manny Corpas, reports the Globe's Nick Cafardo. But he warns: "Before you think that the 25-year-old righthander would be a nice fit for the Red Sox, consider that several teams with worst records than Boston would put in a claim for him. Corpas signed a four-year, $8.025 million extension with the Rockies in February ... Mostly a set-up guy, but an excellent fit for someone. Colorado is putting him out there probably to see what his worth is. Boston would have interest, just hard to believe he'd get to them." Corpas has been an on-again, off-again closer for the Rockies and was rumored to be moved in several deals before the July 31 non-waiver deadline. Corpas, who sports a 4.26 ERA with 11 holds this year, was 5-for-6 in save opportunities with a 0.87 ERA during Colorado's World Series run last year.

The Red Sox signed veteran corner outfielder Jason Lane to a minor-league deal on Tuesday, reports the Globe's Nick Cafardo. Lane, 31, was released from the Yankees' class AAA affiliate earlier in the season. His best season was in 2005, when he hit 26 homers and knocked in 78 runs for Houston. Cafardo reports that he is a likely candidate for a call-up when rosters are expanded on September 1.

With Kevin Youkilis moving to third base to replace the injured Mike Lowell, the Sox might make a move to fill a corner spot, reports the Globe's Nick Cafardo. The Tampa Bay Rays have similar needs because star rookie Evan Longoria is on the DL with a fractured wrist. Both Boston and Tampa are interested in Houston's Mark Loretta, named an AL All-Star in his only season in Boston (2006). Cafardo names San Francisco infielder Rich Aurilia as a player garnering interest from both clubs. However, "because Boston is behind the Rays in the standings," notes Cafardo, "It could block any move for a hitter to Tampa."

The Tigers placed slugger Gary Sheffield on waivers on Aug. 12. While Sheffield has made it known that he would like to play in Boston, the Tampa native would likely welcome a trade to the Rays -- if he's traded at all. "I don't know why it is a big deal that I've been put on waivers," he said Aug. 13. "That's nothing new. Lots of great players are put on waivers but it is only a story when it is someone like Manny (Ramirez) or me -- someone that people have an opinion about." Sheffield told Nick Cafardo for the Aug. 10 editions of the Globe that he is frustrated with the slumping Tigers. the Yankees re-signed him after 2006 so the Red Sox wouldn't get him. "They picked up my option so I wouldn't wind up there. I would have loved it because I love that atmosphere. It means something." Sheffield, a career .293 hitter, is batting .223 with 12 homers this season.

The Red Sox were one of a few teams, according to a major league source, who put in a trade waiver claim on Seattle outfielder Raul Ibanez, but the Sox were not awarded the claim as an undisclosed team with a worse record than the Red Sox had a 48-hour window to work out a deal with the Mariners. The Seattle Times reported that the Tigers and Twins also put in a claim on Ibanez. The Twins were also trying to land Jarrod Washburn so they could move one of their starters to the bullpen. The paper reported that both players - Washburn and Ibanez - were likely staying put in Seattle. (By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff)

As much as the Red Sox would have liked depth and protection for their injured players, they are moving after receiving a thumbs down from San Diego outfielder Brian Giles on a deal to Boston. Giles, who had a no-trade clause that included Boston, will be returned to the Padres. When Giles nixed a chance to go to the Sox today -- before the 1:30 p.m. deadline to make a deal -- the Sox weren't entirely broken up about the situation. While they would have liked to have Giles, a high on-base percentage guy, it was about a 50-50 split between wanting him and blocking him from going to another team (Tampa Bay). Giles told the Associated Press he was upset that details of the talks became public. "I didn't know everybody was supposed to know, especially when it wasn't a done deal and it wouldn't go down," Giles said before the Padres opened a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies. The Red Sox had only preliminary talks with San Diego and Kevin Towers about it before Giles said he wasn't interested in being traded. The outfielder is very comfortable in San Diego, and didn't want to leave a good situation, both because he likes the area and because he likes the playing time. "I signed a three-, possibly four-year deal here. I'm committed to fulfill that contract. If next year doesn't work out with the option, I'll be a free agent and I can choose where I go," Giles said. The 37-year-old Giles is hitting .295 with 6 homers and 37 RBIs in 103 games this season. Giles, who grew up in the San Diego area, wants to finish his career with the Padres. "I don't know how many years I have left," he said. "I've had a good time here in San Diego. Like I've preached before, the same games we've been the last couple of years that we've won we haven't won any of those this year. Given our division and how young it is, it's going to be inconsistent for the next two or three years, so I feel there's an opportunity here. Obviously, there are pieces missing and we need to address those pieces. I've had a couple of dings this year, but I've been able to take some days off. I know I have a few years left; hopefully it is with San Diego." The Red Sox are still searching for outfield protection and may not be through scouring the waiver wire for another player who has cleared waivers who might protect them off the bench. The Padres are doing all they can to dump payroll and seemed to think Boston would have no problem picking up the pro-rated $9 million contract, which would also include a $2 million relocation bonus. His contract has a club option for 2009, which pays him $9 million, or $11 million if he is dealt. There is also a $3 million buyout on the option. It's all for naught now. (By the Globe's Nick Cafardo and Amalie Benjamin)

The Red Sox have asked former Indians closer Joe Borowski to accept a minor league contract with the team and are waiting to hear back, according to the Globe's Nick Cafardo. Boston had interest in Borowski two years ago, but not as a closer. Borowski, 37, was waived by the Indians this season after going 1-3 with a 7.56 ERA. He saved 45 games for the Tribe in 2007 and 36 for the Marlins in 2006 The Sox are also sending scout Allard Baird to watch righthander Freddy Garcia, who is working out for teams Wednesday in Arizona.

David Ortiz is already feeling the effect of Manny Ramirez not being in the lineup to protect him, the Globe's Nick Cafardo reports: "Manny was a cleanup hitter, so you don't get that everywhere," said Ortiz. "We're going to play and we're going to see what's happening. Hopefully we'll able to get around it and we'll continue to make adjustments...I've been walking like crazy the last three games. I haven't had too many pitches to hit." Whether the Red Sox can add pop through a waiver-wire deal, or whether they can in the offseason, remains to be seen.

There were conflicting reports over the weekend on exactly what went down surrounding the trade of Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers around Thursday's 4 p.m. trade deadline. First this report from the Globe's Gordon Edes: "Within an hour after Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein informed Manny Ramirez he had been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, called the Sox back, according to a source with direct knowledge of the negotiations. If the Sox dropped the option years on his contract - which they had agreed to do if they traded him - Boras said Ramirez would not be a problem the rest of the season." The next day, Boras denied the claim through the Globe's Nick Cafardo: "Agent Scott Boras dismissed a report in the Globe that he had tried to salvage the relationship between Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox after the team had traded the left fielder to the Dodgers as 'completely inaccurate.' 'There was one phone call made to let me know Manny was traded,' Boras said Saturday evening. 'There was no follow-up phone call.'"...After 2 days with his new team, Ramirez is telling people he'd like to stay in LA for a while: "I like this city, the environment, the energy in the fans. I think that I'll play here for the remainder of my career," Ramirez said in an exclusive interview with ESPNdeportes.com. ...The Red Sox went down the wire before finally pulling off a trade for Ramirez just before 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Ramirez was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the three-team trade that sent Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay to the Red Sox, the Globe's Gordon Edes and Nick Cafardo first reported. The Red Sox also lost Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss as part of the deal. Here were the names involved:

To Red Sox

Jason Bay

To Dodgers

Manny Ramirez

To Pirates

Craig Hansen (Relief pitcher, from Red Sox)
Brandon Moss (Outfielder, from Red Sox)
Andy LaRoche (Third baseman, from Dodgers)
Bryan Morris (Double-A pitcher, from Dodgers)

As part of the deal, the Red Sox agreed to pay the remaining $7 million of Ramirez's 2008 salary. The Sox also waived the two option years -- at $20 million per season -- on his contract. Ramirez will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Jason Bay comes to the Red Sox in return for Manny Ramirez. Bay is a two-time All-Star who owns a career .376 on-base percentage and a .282 lifetime average. He's hitting .282 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs this season. The British Columbia native and Gonzaga graduate was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004, when he hit .282 with 26 homers and 82 RBIs. In 2005, he hit .306 with 32 homers, 101 RBIs and stole 21 bases. In 2006, he established career-highs in homers (35) and RBI (109). Last year, he again led the struggling Pirates in homers (21) and RBIs (84). Bay has one year left on a four-year, $18.25-million deal he signed in 2005. He is due $5.75 million this year and $7.5 million in 2009.

Though the Yankees and Mariners likely did not come to a deal regarding starter Jarrod Washburn before the non-waiver deadline, league sources tell ESPN.com that Washburn should "easily pass though waivers," leading the Yankees to sign him. The Yankees have said they will take on the $14 million owed Washburn through next year, but the Mariners will get no better than a Grade-C prospect if that's the case. The 33-year old is 4-9 with a 4.75 earned run average in 20 games (19 starts) for Seattle this season.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that Colorado "surveyed every team" interested in Fuentes, and no one made an offer, so the lefty came off the market. The Rockies had kept the price high for Fuentes, asking for Clay Buchholz from the Red Sox or Ian Kennedy from the Yankees, according to a Denver Post report earlier this month.

The Yankees, frustrated by their failure to land Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn, are "kicking around" the idea of dealing for Cleveland's Paul Byrd, according to FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, but ESPN's Buster Olney reports that Byrd is likely staying put. Both sources say the deal could come together quickly if the Yankees want it to, because the Indians wouldn't seek much in return for Byrd, who is 5-10 with a 4.93 ERA this year.

Tampa Bay considered Reds slugger Adam Dunn, according to multiple sources. The Reds have reportedly set a high price for Dunn, the 6-foot-6, 275-pounder who leads the majors in homers (32) and has hit more (192) than anyone over the last five seasons.

The Cincinnati Reds have traded future Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey, Jr. to the White Sox, according to Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal. As a 10-5 player (ten years of service in the majors, five with the same team), Junior Griffey could have blocked any deal. The Reds will receive infielder Danny Richar and pitcher Nick Masset. Griffey is hitting .245 with 15 homers and 53 RBIs this year.

The Royals lefthander was at the top of the Red Sox wish list, but Kansas City management announced at 4 p.m. ET that the club had made no deals. Boston Herald reported a baseball source saying the Sox feel they feel they cannot include outfielder Brandon Moss in a deal for Kansas City Royals left-handed reliever Ron Mahay largely because they need Moss as an insurance policy for Ramirez. FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported earlier an executive from one team in touch with the Royals saying he does not believe that Mahay will be traded. The Providence Journal's Sean McAdam reported this morning that the Royals had proposed a Moss-for-Ron Mahay deal. Mahay, 37, is 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA and 18 holds for Kansas City. A former Sox outfielder, Mahay is a 1991 draft pick and spent parts of three years in Boston. He converted to pitcher in 1996 and has developed into one of the game's better lefty specialists. Mahay is in the first year of a two-year, $8-million deal. Mahay's money next year would merely replace the $3 million the Sox are paying Mike Timlin this season. Timlin, 42, is a free agent and is not expected back in 2009.

According to Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal, the Red Sox interest in the Braves reliever was minimal because they have concerns about his ability to pitch under the intense Boston spotlight. Five other teams talked with the Braves about Ohman, who has a 2.84 ERA, 13 holds, and 41 strikeouts (with 18 walks) in 44 1/3 innings pitched this season.

The Yankees have acquired Tigers catcher Pudge Rodriguez in exchange for hard-throwing reliever Kyle Farnsworth on Wednesday. Rodriguez, a 14-time All-Star in the option year of a $50 million deal he signed with the Tigers in Feb. 2004, will step into the hole in the Yankees' lineup created by Jorge Posada's shoulder injury. Posada had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Wednesday and is out for the season. Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said the team didn't want to trade Rodriguez, but had bigger needs in the bullpen. "First let me say that Pudge has done an outstanding job for us," Dombrowski told reporters before Detroit played the Cleveland Indians. "I'm sure he was very surprised by this, but for him this is a good situation. He's going to New York City, and they are in contention." "Pudge had a no-trade clause and he waived it today to go to New York," Rodriguez's agent, Scott Boras, told The Associated Press on Wednesday afternoon. "Pudge has always wanted to play in New York and Detroit felt it needed a relief pitcher, so both sides were able to get what they wanted to some degree." Material from The Associated Press was used in this update.

The Braves moved one of the biggest bats on the market, sending first baseman Mark Teixeira to the Angels for first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Stephen Marek. Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the Boston Globe that Teixeira will likely bat third. The Angels announced Teixeira, a former Red Sox draft pick, will play Wednesday night at Fenway and wear No. 25. Major league sources told the Globe's Nick Cafardo the Braves asked for Kevin Youkilis and Craig Hansen, but the Red Sox said no. Scioscia wasn't concerned about whether the Angels were going to re-sign Teixeira, who can be a free agent. "We're not getting into that yet. All of that will happen in the offseason," said Scioscia. Foxsports.com had previously reported the Diamondbacks, Yankees and Red Sox had all made inquires about Teixeira, who is batting .283 with 20 homers and 78 RBIs.

Other than Street, Mahay and Grabow, a host of names have surfaced in talks the Sox are having with other teams, as they try to acquire a veteran pitcher before the deadline. The Globe's Nick Cafardo tabs Houston righthander Doug Brocail (3.91 ERA, 19 holds) and 38-year-old Seattle lefty Arthur Rhodes as possibilities. The Boston Herald reported Tuesday that the Red Sox have been scouting Astros reliever Geoff Geary (2.66 ERA, 6 holds). However, an Astros official said the team had no discussions about pitching with the Red Sox, according to the Providence Journal's Sean McAdam, who says Boston is also in the hunt for Atlanta's Will Ohman (2.84 ERA, 13 holds) and Cubs middleman Scott Eyre. The Globe's Nick Cafardo reported in Sunday's baseball notes that Orioles management won't deal closer George Sherrill (3.63 ERA, 30 saves) to the Sox, a division rival.

Varitek and agent Scott Boras will likely wait until season's end to discuss the upcoming free agent's contract situation. ESPN's Buster Olney writes that the Sox captain will feel the ripple effect of Yankees catcher Jorge Posada's injury, as Boston will cite Posada's breakdown as a reason to offer Varitek a two-year extension at most. Olney reports one rival team's executive said, "I'd be very surprised if he's back with the Red Sox." The Sox have expressed interest in Rangers catching prospect Taylor Teagarden, according to ESPN's Peter Gammons, but the Providence Journal's Sean McAdam reports that the Sox are unlikely to address catching needs until after the season.

From the Globe's Nick Cafardo: "A week ago the Red Sox shot down rumors of a possible deal for White Sox backup shortstop Juan Uribe. Now, a few days later there's a Houston Chronicle report of Boston having interest in Miguel Tejada, which has also been completely dismissed. According to Red Sox and league sources the answer again is 'not interested.' The Red Sox have no intention of taking on any of Tejada's personal baggage (Mitchell Report and feds investigation)." Tejada is hitting .284 with 10 homers and 49 RBIs. The Houston Chronicle and ESPN's Enrique Rojas each reported Tejada saying he wouldn't be afraid to accept the challenge of playing in Boston.

Matt Holliday isn't leaving Colorado. From the Denver Post: "The idea that Holliday would be shipped out this season has always been a longshot. There's no urgency -- he's under contract for next season -- and the Rockies have made it known that they want a bevy of top prospects, among them a top young pitcher like Tampa Bay's David Price or the Los Angeles Angels' Nick Adenhart."

The Yankees agreed to a six-player trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and the left-handed reliever Damaso Marte for four minor leaguers. The Yankees sent Class AAA starter Ross Ohlendorf, Class AA outfielder Jose Tabata and the Class AA starters Phil Coke and George Kontos to Pittsburgh. The Red Sox had expressed interest in Marte.

Yankees officials met in Tampa for almost three hours Thursday afternoon to discuss the direction of the team, according to the New York Times. According to the paper, team executives outlined needs for the ballclub, inlcluding left-handed relief, starting pitching, and a right-handed hitter. The possibility of signing free agent Barry Bonds also came up during the meeting, but the idea was met with little support, according to the report.

Two weeks ago, Bond's agent Jeff Borris denied to the Globe's Nick Cafardo that the Red Sox ever had any interest in Bonds or that he had a secret workout for them. Bonds has not received a single offer, Borris told the Associated Press on Monday. He dismissed recent reports of interest from Arizona, the New York Mets and Boston. "I'm an optimistic guy by nature," Borris said, "and I've told Barry that the prospects look bleak." Bonds, who turns 44 in two weeks, led the majors last season with a .480 on-base percentage. He finished the year with 762 career home runs and became a free agent when the San Francisco Giants did not bring him back. "Barry is in shape right now," Borris said. "He's not in game shape, so he'd have to have the chance to hit off of live pitching. But he's told me that he would be ready in a very short period of time. He thinks he can be ready 10 days, two weeks. And with the first trading deadline coming up, I can't understand why my phone is not ringing off the hook."

The Herald's Michael Silverman wrote on Tuesday that the Indians had discussed C.C. Sabathia with the Sox: "In the past few days, according to a source with knowledge of the talks between the Indians and Red Sox, Cleveland did not come down from its request of one package headlined by righthander Michael Bowden, the other featuring the Sox’ best position-player prospects, including Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie and Josh Reddick." The Sabathia sweepstakes ended early this trade season, with the Brewers acquiring the Indians ace for outfield prospect Matt LaPorta and three other minor leaguers.

The Globe's Nick Cafardo reports the Red Sox backed away from a possible deal to ship utility man Alex Cora to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Juan Uribe. Cafardo writes: "While the Red Sox examined whether to pursue White Sox shortstop Juan Uribe, major league sources indicate the team backed away from a possible deal to acquire him.

The Red Sox really like the job done by Jed Lowrie and feel that Alex Cora can be an adequate backup to Lowrie until Julio Lugo returns to the scene sometime in mid-August. That's not to say the Sox won't consider another veteran shortstop if the fit and price is right."

According to the Globe’s Gordon Edes, the Sox inquired about reliever Jon Rauch before he was traded by Washington to Arizona, but the Nationals were asking for top prospects Michael Bowden and Jed Lowrie. Rauch has a 2.92 ERA and had 17 saves as the Nats closer before being dealt.