The Boston Red Sox have acquired utility player Steve Pearce and cash considerations from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor-league infielder Santiago Espinal, the team announced.
Toronto is reportedly sending $1.66 million to the Red Sox as part of the transaction, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. That means Boston is apparently only paying $1.5 million of Pearce's remaining salary this year, a figure that could help the team stay under the highest luxury-tax threshold.
Pearce, 35, completes the AL East cycle after joining the Red Sox. He previously played for the Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay Rays.
The veteran slugger owns a .291/.349/.519 slash line in 26 games this season and has a knack for hitting left-handed pitching. Pearce's career OPS against southpaws is .840 and sits at an even higher .889 mark this year.
He'll join a Red Sox bench which currently contains Sandy Leon, Blake Swihart, Brock Holt, and Tzu-Wei Lin. Marco Hernandez is also on the 60-day DL.
Espinal, 23, can play all over the infield with reps coming at short, second, and third with High-A Salem this season. The Dominican was also tearing the cover off the ball to the tune of a .314/.364/.478 slash line with seven homers, 15 doubles, and 32 RBIs in 64 games.
He was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
