Red Sox Acquire Craig Breslow For Matt Albers, Scott Podsednik

The Red Sox have acquired left-handed reliever Craig Breslow from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Matt Albers and Scott Podsednik according to Jack Magruder of Fox Sports Arizona.

Breslow, 31, has pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 43 innings this year, striking out 8.7 batters per nine innings and walking 2.7. He's a fly ball pitcher, which can be scary in Fenway Park, but has been good at avoiding the homer throughout his career. He will be under team control for 2013 as well, making him a solid piece both for the rest of the year and the future as well.

The cost for the Sox, meanwhile, is not terribly impressive. While Matt Albers has managed to avoid surrendering much in the way of runs, actually watching him pitch gave the impression that was not terribly sustainable. He pitches up in the zone too often, and just doesn't miss bats with any regularity. Bobby Valentine's continued usage of him in high-leverage situations was becoming a serious concern, to the point where many may view this as addition by subtraction.

Scott Podsednik, meanwhile, did plenty to earn the appreciation of Red Sox fans by hitting .387 in 70 plate appearances with the team earlier this year, but it was clear he was never part of the long-term plans of the team. Now that the rest of the outfield is back in working order (well, minus Ryan Sweeney), he was just redundant.

It's an entirely positive trade by the front office, getting a piece that can help in 2012 and 2013, and giving up essentially nothing in return. And if this lets Franklin Morales shift back to the rotation at some point in the immediate future, then all-the-better.