THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH &ndash The Red Sox are hoping this latest trade for Pittsburgh's leading power hitter turns out as well as last season's.
The Red Sox acquired slumping first baseman Adam LaRoche on Wednesday for two midlevel prospects, less than a year after they picked up All-Star outfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity that a team like that wants me," said LaRoche, who is hitting .109 since July 4.
Later in the day, Boston traded shortstop Julio Lugo to St. Louis for outfielder/first baseman Chris Duncan and a player to be named later, SI.com has confirmed. (The Cardinals also received cash considerations in the deal.) Lugo, in the third year of a four-year, $36 million deal, had fallen out of favor in Boston. The Red Sox designated him for assignment last week. Duncan, hitting .227 with five homers and 32 RBIs, had been optioned to Triple-A Memphis by the Cardinals before the deal was made.
The Pirates, who have traded five starting position players since last July, will receive Double-A shortstop Argenis Diaz and Class-A right-hander Hunter Strickland, an 18th-round draft pick two years ago.
The deal possibly clears the way for Pittsburgh to deal shortstop Jack Wilson before the July 31 deadline for trading without waivers, and, maybe, NL All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez.
The Red Sox lost their fourth consecutive game Tuesday night to fall out of first place in the AL East, a game behind the New York Yankees. Boston was pursuing Toronto starter Roy Halladay, but a bat turned into the bigger priority for a team that is hitting .236 since June 17 and has scored 12 runs in five games since the All-Star break.
"We've been in the market for a player who can do some damage against right-handed pitching and help our depth at the corner infield," Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said in a conference call. "This was a chance to get at a very reasonable acquisition cost a player that … leaves us in condition to look for more impact before the trading deadline."
