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Boston Picks Up Byrd

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

BOSTON - The Boston Red Sox acquired pitcher Paul Byrd from Cleveland on Tuesday, hoping to boost a rotation hurt by an injury to Tim Wakefield and the struggles of Clay Buchholz.

The Red Sox will send either a player to be named or cash to the Indians.

The 37-year-old Byrd is 7-10 with a 4.53 ERA this season. But he has won all four of his starts since the All-Star break with a 1.24 ERA.

"It's been a rollercoaster ride but as far as me right now, I'm extremely confident," Byrd said in a conference call.

Boston began play Tuesday in second place in the AL East, four games behind Tampa Bay. The Red Sox were two games ahead of the Chicago White Sox in the wild-card race.

TIGERS: Detroit will give Freddy Garcia a chance to prove he can still pitch.

Out of the majors since June 2007, the two-time All-Star agreed to a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Tuesday. Garcia had surgery on his right shoulder last August while with Philadelphia.

"He's a proven big-league pitcher at a time in which it's hard to find pitching. He's always pitched well," Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said. "He's healthy now after the surgery."

Garcia said he wouldn't mind pitching for Detroit next season. Dombrowski said there is no commitment by either side for 2009.

YANKEES: Hank Steinbrenner blames injuries for the team's slide from contention.

The Yankees are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1993. Following four straight losses, they began Tuesday nine games back of AL East-leading Tampa Bay and five behind Boston, the wild-card leader.

"I'm not writing off this season," the team's co-chairman said Tuesday. "They're trying hard to win. There's only so much you can do. They're not supermen."

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