Red Sox acquire Alejandro De Aza

Alejandro De Aza was designated for assignment by the Orioles last week but he now has another opportunity. According to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox added outfield depth by acquiring De Aza from the Orioles on Wednesday morning.

De Aza, 31, had some offensive success last season, posting a .252/.314/.386 battling line to complement eight home runs and 41 RBIs. However, he was struggling through 30 games with Baltimore, batting .214/.277/.359 in addition to three home runs and seven RBIs. De Aza is owed $5 million in 2015 and was thought to be a valuable addition to the Baltimore's outfield before last season's non-waiver trading deadline.

As Rosenthal adds, De Aza gives Boston another left-handed hitting option. He could emerge as the favorite to become the Red Sox's primary reserve outfielder, and as a result, Carlos Peguero may be out of a roster spot. Boston acquired Peguero, who is batting .178/.307/.397 to complement four home runs and nine RBIs, from the Rangers last week.

Although the details of the deal are not yet complete, the Orioles will likely cover a significant portion of De  Aza's salary. Baltimore likely opted to deal him because he has more than five years of service to his name. As a result, if he cleared waivers, he would be eligible to reject an outright assignment and could then become a free agent without losing his guaranteed salary.

De Aza can play all three outfield positions with notable speed but has stolen two bases in four attempts this season. He has proven to be more effective against right-handed pitching which could prove to be valuable for the Red Sox. Acquiring De Aza allows Boston to move forward without calling up prospect Jackie Bradley Jr., who at this point may not be prepared to join the major league club.