Sox trade Lars Anderson to Indians

According to a major league source, the Red Sox traded first baseman Lars Anderson to the Indians in exchange for Double-A starter Steven Wright.

Anderson, once rated as the top prospect in the Red Sox farm system, was hitting .259 with a .359 OBP, .415 slugging mark and .774 OPS with nine homers in Triple-A Pawtucket this year, similar numbers to the .265/.369/.422/.791 line he posted a year ago at the same level. The 24-year-old nearly had been traded to the Athletics in a deal for pitcher Rich Harden at the 2011 deadline, only to have the deal nixed by Sox concerns about Harden's medicals.

In exchange for Anderson, the Sox received 27-year-old right-hander Wright, a knuckleball pitcher who was having a tremendous year in Double-A Akron. In 20 starts, he is 9-6 with a 2.70 ERA, 101 strikeouts and 62 walks in 115 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting .207 against him, the lowest batting average against in the Eastern League. He is not on the 40-man roster, so the Red Sox have freed a pair of 40-man spots in dealing Anderson, Matt Albers and Scott Podsednik for Craig Breslow (from the Diamondbacks) and Wright.

Anderson recently reflected on the experience and philosophical implications of being traded in this podcast [1]. For complete Red Sox coverage, visit weei.com/redsox [2].