(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox bolstered their outfield on Wednesday by landing veteran Mark Kotsay from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor league outfielder Luis Sumoza. Just a day after sending outfielder J.D. Drew to the disabled list with a back strain, the Red Sox picked up another left-handed bat for the stretch run. The 32-year-old Kotsay was hitting .289 with six home runs and 37 RBI in 88 games with Atlanta this season.

The 20-year-old Sumoza hit .301 with 11 home runs, 15 doubles and 38 RBI in 51 games with the Lowell Spinners of the Single-A New York-Penn League. A native of Maracay, Venezuela, Sumoza will join the Single-A Rome Braves.

Atlanta already sent star first baseman Mark Teixeira to the Angels in a July 29 deal for first baseman Casey Kotchman. Now the club has parted ways with Kotsay, who was added in an offseason deal that sent relief pitcher Joey Devine to Oakland. The veteran outfielder was brought to Atlanta to fill the center field position vacated by Andruw Jones, whom the Braves elected not to re-sign. Jones signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Kotsay, who missed five weeks this season with a bad back and missed much of 2007 with Oakland after back surgery, is a career .282 hitter over 12 seasons with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, Athletics, and Atlanta. Kotsay, who will be a free agent after this season, hit for the cycle in a 5-for-5 game against the Chicago Cubs on August 14.

The Braves recalled Josh Anderson from Triple-A Richmond on Wednesday to take Kotsay's roster spot.

The Braves enter play Wednesday at 58-74, 15 games behind first-place Philadelphia in the NL East. The Red Sox, conversely, begin Wednesday at 76-55, 3 1/2 games behind Tampa Bay for first place in the AL East, and 2 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota for the AL wild card.



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