For Immediate Release 

August 25, 2009

  

RED SOX ACQUIRE LEFT-HANDED PITCHER BILLY WAGNER

FROM THE NEW YORK METS FOR TWO PLAYERS TO BE NAMED LATER

 

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox today acquired left-handed pitcher Billy Wagner from the New York Mets in exchange for two players to be named later.

 

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

 

Wagner, 38, has appeared in two games for the Mets in 2009, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.  In 45 relief outings with New York last season, the left-hander was 0-1 with a 2.30 ERA (12 ER/47.0 IP) with 27 saves in 34 chances before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on September 10.

 

A six-time National League All-Star, Wagner is 39-37 with 385 saves and a 2.39 ERA (218 ER/820.0 IP) in 767 career relief appearances over parts of 15 Major League seasons with the Astros (1995-2003), Phillies (2004-05) and Mets (2006-09).  His 385 saves rank second all-time among left-handed pitchers, trailing only John Franco’s 424, and sixth overall on the all-time saves list.  He has recorded 30 or more saves eight times and set a career high with 44 for Houston in 2003.    

 

Wagner earned the 1999 National League Rolaids Relief Award and finished fourth in National League Cy Young Award voting that season.  Since 1954, his 2.39 ERA ranks third among qualifying relievers behind only Mariano Rivera (2.09) and Joe Nathan (2.13).

 

— RED SOX —–