Boston Red Sox

Right-handed pitcher Matt Fox has been claimed by the Boston Red Sox, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Joe Christensen. The Minnesota Twin farmhand was designated for assignment this past Sunday, only two days following a successful MLB debut against the Texas Rangers.

Originally drafted with the 35th overall pick in 2004, Fox has has spent more than six years in the minors and owns a career 3.64 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, according to TheBaseballCube.com.

I am a great admirer of Boston Red Sox 3B Adrian Beltre. It’s not because I think he is such a great guy or that he is such a fantastic fielder. I admire Beltre because of his uncanny ability to have career years in his free agent year.

Any discerning Red Sox fan checking in with Gordon Edes' work on ESPNBoston.com was probably surprised to read that the "club is prepared to pick up" their $12.5 million option on David Ortiz.

Going into tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox find themselves seven and a half games behind Tampa for the wild card spot in the American League. Barring an unforeseeable collapse by the Rays, the Red Sox season is essentially over.

When September comes, teams out of the playoff race call up prospects for a taste of Major League action. I don’t think the Red Sox thought they would be one of those teams at the beginning of the season, but the reality of the situation is, they are.

The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo has tweeted some speculation that the Chicago White Sox' Paul Konerko may be a fit at Fenway in 2011. Frankly, the idea that Theo Epstein would sign Chicago's overachieving 34-year-old first baseman is laughable.

The Boston Red Sox have released journeyman outfielder Jeremy Hermida, according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. As much as Hermida expressed surprise when he was designated for assignment at the end of July, surely his outright release yesterday could be considered a shock.

Hermida's release was confirmed late last night via an online announcement on RedSox.com.

In a year of stunning rookie performances, Cuban defector and Reds uber-prospect Aroldis Chapman made his major-league debut on Tuesday, facing three batters in one inning of work. The 22-year-old was electric, hitting 103 mph on the radar gun.

The Boston Red Sox have dealt struggling reliever and hometown flame-thrower Manny Delcarmen to the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

After first breaking in with the Sox's in 2005 and posting a respectable 3.00 ERA, the 28-year-old Delcarmen has experienced distinct peaks and valleys in his six seasons in Beantown.

Very late last night the Los Angeles Angels had their catcher, Mike Napoli, claimed by an unknown team. There were several teams in the hunt for a catcher, but in the end ESPN's Joe McDonald revealed that it was the Boston Red Sox that won the Mike Napoli sweepstakes. 

The Angeles gave the Red Sox a time frame until Monday for them to workout a deal. , McDonald added that the Red Sox will probably not want to complete a deal.

After the Red Sox won the first game in Tampa, 3-1, behind a solid effort from Jon Lester (even with his three wild pitches) hope had begun to spring forth that they could overtake the Rays and still get the wild card.

I am not counting them as "dead" yet, but last night's 3-2 loss in extra innings may have been the straw to break the Sox's back.