Red Sox, Reds swap Arroyo, Wily Mo

Rey619

Red Sox, Reds swap Arroyo, Wily Mo
Credit: MLB.com

The Cincinnati Reds traded outfielder Wily Mo Pena to the Boston Red Sox for right-hander Bronson Arroyo and cash on Monday in a deal that may fill needs for both clubs.

Arroyo, 29, will be a boost to a Reds pitching staff that had the highest ERA in the National League last year. Arroyo, who went 14-10 with a 4.51 ERA in 32 starts and three relief appearances in 2005, joins right-hander Aaron Harang and lefties Eric Milton and Brandon Claussen in the Cincinnati rotation. Arroyo established career highs in wins (14), starts and innings pitched (205 1/3) while producing a team-high 20 quality starts.

Arroyo has appeared in the postseason in each of the last three seasons, including as a member of the 2004 world champion Red Sox. Originally selected by the Pirates in the third round of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft, Arroyo owns a career record of 33-33 with a 4.59 ERA in 126 games (90 starts) with Pittsburgh (2000-02) and Boston (2003-05).

In return, the Red Sox get Pena, 24, a powerful right-handed hitter who batted .248 with 51 home runs and 134 RBIs in 302 games with the Reds from 2002-05. After a breakout season in 2004 in which he belted 26 homers in just 336 at-bats, Pena was squeezed in and out of the lineup throughout 2005 due to the Reds' crowded outfield that also included Ken Griffey, Jr., Austin Kearns and Ryan Freel. Still, Pena hit 19 home runs in only 311 at-bats last season.

Pena gives the Sox some right-handed pop in the lineup in the event Mike Lowell's struggles extend into the regular season. The Red Sox could afford to deal Arroyo because they still have Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Matt Clement, David Wells and Tim Wakefield to anchor the rotation.
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I think that this could be good for both team's IMO.