Apparently another team wanted Brad Penny, but the Sox didn't give him up.
What?!:
According to multiple sources, pitcher Brad Penny was claimed off waivers earlier this month, and then subsequently pulled back by the Red Sox. With the 48-hour window in which a deal could be worked out by the Red Sox and the claiming team already passed, Penny, who is being skipped over for his turn in the rotation this week, can’t be dealt by the Sox.
Penny is scheduled to be available for relief duty both Wednesday and Thursday, with a simulated game planned for Friday if he isn’t used. Righty is currently 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA and has suffered losses in each of his last four outings. Since the All-Star break he is 1-5 with a 7.82 ERA.
I'm not sure why the Sox would put Penny on the waivers just to pull him back. Perhaps it was a team the Sox didn't want to deal with? It seems like the Sox have enough depth and Penny has pitched poor enough, that at this point they could have traded him.
But it seems like Theo Epstein & Co. thought differently.
If Penny struggles in relief, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get DFA'd at some point.