Red Sox Re-Tooling Begins-Hermida Acquired From Marlins

The Boston Red Sox today acquired outfielder Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins in exchange for left-handed pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Hermida, 25, hit .259 (111-for-429) with 13 home runs and 47 RBI over 129 games with the Marlins in 2009 and set a career high with 56 walks. The left-handed hitter appeared in 81 games (73 starts) in right field and 51 (40 starts) in left. He made just one error in 205 total chances for a .995 fielding percentage, sixth among qualifying National League outfielders. He appeared in just three games after August 31 due to an intercostal strain on his right side.

Selected by Florida in the first round (11th overall) of the 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Hermida has a .265 batting average (452-for-1,708), 57 homers and 210 RBI in 516 career Major League games with the Marlins. He owns a .996 (1 error/264 total chances) fielding percentage in 151 contests beginning August 8, 2008, second in the NL over that time behind only Randy Winn (1.000), and is 45-for-148 (.304) in his career against AL East opponents.

Jones, 25, made his Major League debut with Boston in 2009 and appeared in 11 games in relief. The left-hander posted a 9.24 ERA (13 ER/12.2 IP) with the Red Sox, compiling nine strikeouts. In 36 relief outings with Triple-A Pawtucket, he was 4-3 with two saves and a 4.25 ERA (25 ER/53.0 IP). Signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent on July 23, 2005, Jones went 22-14 with 22 saves and a 3.09 ERA (116 ER/338.0 IP) in 178 career minor league games (six starts) in the Boston organization.

The 20-year-old Alvarez combined to go 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA (27 ER/107.2 IP) and 74 strikeouts compared to 16 walks in 26 games (12 starts) between Single-A Salem and Short-A Lowell in 2009. He led the New York-Penn League with a 1.52 ERA (14 ER/83.0 IP) while recording eight wins over 14 outings (12 starts) with Lowell. Signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2005, the left-hander has compiled a 23-15 record and a 3.21 ERA (116 ER/325.2 IP) in 76 career minor league appearances (48 starts) in the Red Sox system.

The Red Sox also today outrighted right-handed pitcher Fernando Cabrera, outfielder Joey Gathright and infielder Nick Green to Triple-A Pawtucket.

COURTESY RED SOX COMMUNICATIONS