Red Sox acquire closer Gagne from the Rangers

From the Associated Press

With Eric Gagne finally pitching like his old self after two elbow operations and back surgery, the Boston Red Sox acquired the reliever on Tuesday from the Texas Rangers, who also unloaded first baseman Mark Teixeira to Atlanta in a seven-player swap.

Boston sent left-hander Kason Gabbard and minor league outfielders David Murphy and Engel Beltre to the Rangers, who were the busiest team in the majors before Tuesday’s nonwaiver trade deadline.

Texas also will cover part of what remains on Gagne’s contract.

Gagne was guaranteed $2.5 million in additional money by Boston to accept the trade, raising his 2007 earnings to $9.85 million.

After acquiring Gagne, the Red Sox announced that reliever Brendan Donnelly would have season-ending surgery on his right elbow.

Teixeira found himself in a pennant race when the Braves finalized a seven-player trade to acquire him from the Rangers. The Braves sent rookie catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and four minor leaguers to Texas for the powerful, switch-hitting Teixeira and left-handed reliever Ron Mahay.

Atlanta also bolstered its bullpen, getting Kansas City reliever Octavio Dotel for pitcher Kyle Davies.

The San Diego Padres made three trades, getting infielder Morgan Ensberg from the Houston Astros, outfielder Rob Mackowiak from the Chicago White Sox and reliever Wilfredo Ledezma from Atlanta.

The Astros sent Ensberg and cash considerations to the Padres for a player to be named or cash. The White Sox traded Mackowiak for pitcher Jon Link. The Braves traded Ledezma and minor league pitcher Will Startup for reliever Royce Ring.

The New York Mets put outfielder Carlos Beltran on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left abdominal muscle.

Police in Phoenix found evidence of cocaine and drug paraphernalia at former major league pitcher Rod Beck’s home on the day he died.

The medical examiner is awaiting results of toxicology tests to establish a cause of death.

Oakland released outfielder Bobby Kielty. . . . The Padres fired Merv Rettenmund as their hitting coach and hired Wally Joyner to replace him. . . . Colorado right-hander Rodrigo Lopez’s elbow injury has been diagnosed as a torn flexor tendon, and he will be put on the disabled list. . . . The Pittsburgh Pirates got pitcher Matt Morris from San Francisco for rookie outfielder Rajai Davis and a player to be named. . . . Philadelphia acquired reliever Julio Mateo from Seattle for minor league infielder Jesus Merchan. . . . The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-hander Joel Pineiro, optioned to the minors last week by the Boston Red Sox, and cash for a minor league player to be named.