The Red Sox exercised their $7.7 million option on Victor Martinez and declined options on Jason Varitek and Alex Gonzalez on Monday. Boston also agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with 43-year-old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, replacing a perpetual $4 million annual club option. The moves on the options were expected after Boston obtained Martinez from the Cleveland Indians on July 31 and he…
Jed Hoyer was once co-general manager of the Boston Red Sox for 44 days after Theo Epstein walked away from the job. Now Hoyer has a GM gig of his own. The San Diego Padres have hired Hoyer as their new general manager, a person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement won't be until Monday.
Clay Buchholz has one week to think about his next start. Or, even better, not to think about it. Manager Terry Francona said Buchholz was still in line to follow Jon Lester and Josh Beckett in the rotation for the first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Angels, even after the Red Sox right-hander lasted just three innings in a 12-7 victory over Cleveland on Sunday.
Jake Peavy delivered the kind of performance the Detroit Tigers desperately need. Peavy delayed Detroit's chance to move closer to the AL Central title, pitching the Chicago White Sox past the slumping Tigers 8-0 Friday night. Detroit's lead was cut to one game by Minnesota, which beat Kansas City 10-7.
Behind a closed clubhouse door, the Boston Red Sox celebrated their sixth playoff berth in seven years in the usual way: with spraying beer, commemorative hats and T-shirts, and the customary promises that they will play better once the postseason begins. "I like our chances," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said, popping out to the concourse to address a few dozen reporters who waited…
Clay Buchholz pitched six effective innings, Jason Bay drove in two runs and the Boston Red Sox hurt Tampa Bay's playoff hopes with a 6-3 win over the Rays on Thursday night. The Red Sox took 2 of 3 from the Rays — Boston's first series win at Tropicana Field since Sept. 21-23, 2007 — to extend their AL wild-card advantage over Tampa Bay to six games.
Curt Schilling, the former major league pitcher who won the allegiance of Bostonians by leading the Red Sox to the 2004 World Series, said Wednesday that he has "some interest" in running for the seat held for nearly 50 years by Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. Schilling, a registered independent and longtime Republican supporter, wrote on his blog that while his family and video game…
Carlos Pena and the Tampa Bay Rays headed into September on a high note. Next up, a key series against the Boston Red Sox. Pena hit his AL-best 38th homer and drove in four runs to help the Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 11-7 on Monday for a split of their four-game series. Tampa Bay scored six times in the first inning against the AL Central leaders, capped by Pena's two-run drive.
Paul Byrd, making his first major league start since last September, pitched six shutout innings and the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep with a 7-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The win was the sixth in seven games for Boston, which opened the day 2 1/2 games ahead of Texas in the AL's wild-card race.
Mark Teixeira homered and drove in four runs, Johnny Damon also went deep and the New York Yankees polished off a three-game sweep of the struggling Chicago White Sox with an 8-3 victory Sunday. Alfredo Aceves (9-1) provided stellar relief pitching after Joba Chamberlain's abbreviated outing, and the streaking Yankees won for the 20th time in 26 games.