Padres acquire inf Pedro Ciriaco from Boston Red Sox

The San Diego Padres today announced that they have acquired infielder Pedro Ciriaco from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later and have designated infielder James Darnell for assignment. In addition, the club will make a corresponding 25-man roster move later today when Ciriaco joins the club in San Diego. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.

Ciriaco (pronounced 'ser-REE-ah-kho'), 27, has hit .216 (11-for-51) with two doubles, a triple, a home run, four RBI and four runs scored in 28 games for the Red Sox this season.   The right-handed hitter was designated for assignment by the Red Sox on June 10. Over parts of four Major League seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2010-11) and Red Sox (2012-13), he has hit .287 (100-for-349) with 20 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 30 RBI, 44 runs scored and 20 stolen bases in 135 games played. A native of the Dominican Republic, he has started 84 Big League games over the course of his career, including 40 at third base, 22 at shortstop, 11 at second base, nine as the designated hitter, one in left field and one in center field.

Darnell, 26, has played in 15 games for Triple-A Tucson this season, hitting .246 (15-for-61) with five doubles, one triple, 10 RBI and five runs scored. The right-handed hitter was placed on the Tucson seven-day disabled list on May 17, retroactive to May 15, with a left shoulder subluxation. Darnell made his Major League debut for the Padres in 2011 and has hit .226 (14-for-62) with three doubles, two home runs, eight RBI and three runs scored in 25 games played over parts of two Big League seasons (2011-12) with San Diego. Over parts of six minor leagues in the Padres organization (2008-13), he has hit .297 (452-for-1521) with 106 doubles, eight triples, 63 home runs, 264 RBI and 249 runs scored in 407 games played.