Looking for help at catcher following the injury to captain
Jason Varitek, the Red Sox have acquired veteran
Javy Lopez from the Baltimore Orioles, ESPN Radio 890 in Boston reported.
<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>
Javy Lopez</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>
Catcher
Baltimore Orioles
Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>
2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">HR</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">RBI</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">R</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">OBP</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">AVG</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">76</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">8</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">31</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">30</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.314</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">.265</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
Lopez, who will join the team tomorrow in Tampa, had been upset over the lack of playing he was receiving in Baltimore and asked for his release. The 35-year-old Lopez is hitting .265 with 8 HR and 31 RBI.
Varitek underwent arthroscopic surgery for a cartilage tear in his left knee on Thursday and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.
The surgery was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital by Red Sox medical director Dr. Thomas Gill, who said the procedure went as planned.
Varitek was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday after injuring his knee rounding second base in the second inning of Monday's 9-8 victory over the
Cleveland Indians.
Varitek, who had been on the disabled list just once in his first nine seasons, was playing in his 1,000th career game as a catcher Monday. The switch hitter is batting .243 with 11 homers and 50 RBI.