Red Sox acquire INF/OF Kelly Johnson from New York Yankees in exchange for SS Stephen Drew

July 31, 2014

BOSTON, MA - The Boston Red Sox today acquired infielder/outfielder Kelly Johnson from the New York Yankees in exchange for shortstop Stephen Drew and cash considerations.

Executive Vice President/General Manager Ben Cherington made the announcement.

Johnson, 32, has played in 77 games for the Yankees this season between third base (41 games), first base (27), left field (3), second base (1), and right field (1). The left-handed batter has hit .219 (44-for-210) this season with nine doubles, two triples, six home runs, 22 RBI, and 23 walks this season, and is currently on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin.

A nine-year major league veteran, Johnson has hit .251 with 200 doubles, 40 triples, 130 home runs, 464 RBI, 81 stolen bases, and 462 walks in 1,128 career games between the Braves (2005, 2007-09), Diamondbacks (2010-11), Blue Jays (2011-12), Rays (2013), and Yankees (2014). He has hit at least 16 home runs in five different seasons, including a career-high 26 homers in 2010. Between the Braves (2005) and Rays (2013), he has appeared in six postseason games.

Drew, 31, has hit .176 (23-for-131) with six doubles, one triple, four home runs, and 11 RBI in 39 games for Boston this year. Over his last 13 games, he has posted a .377 on-base percentage and hit .267 (12-for-45) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs, eight walks, and six RBI. Over his two seasons with the Red Sox (2013-14), Drew hit .236 (135-for-573) with 35 doubles, nine triples, 17 home runs, and 98 RBI in 163 games. Defensively he appeared in 163 games at shortstop (160 starts), and his .986 fielding percentage is the highest among all American League shortstops in that span. For his career, Drew is a .261 hitter with 216 doubles, 61 triples, 94 home runs, and 427 RBI in 975 major league games between the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-12), Oakland Athletics (2012), and Red Sox (2013-14).

This is the first trade between the Red Sox and Yankees since August 13, 1997, when Boston acquired catcher Mike Stanley and infielder Randy Brown from the Yankees for right-handed pitcher Tony Armas Jr. and a player to be named later.