Rangers Trade Littleton to Red Sox

The Red Sox added another reliever via trade on Friday, acquiring Wes Littleton from the Rangers for a player to be named later. According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, who broke the deal, the Rangers aren't holding their breath about getting much back, considering the fact that Littleton was out of options already, which means he'll have to make Boston's Opening Day roster or he'll be cut loose again for free.

Littleton piched 18 innings in 12 games last year with a fairly dismal 6.00 ERA, a far cry from the outstanding 1.73 he put up during his breakout season in 2006. Theo Epstein and co. are likely acquiring him with the hope that he can tap into just enough of that magic to salvage a spot and emerge as a contributor. If he can, Littleton has age on his side, as the Cal State-Fullerton grad is only 26.

While there wasn't too much dynamite in the deal, Grant does propose the outside shot that this deal could be a precursor to a much bigger and more significant deal; it is possible that Littleton could later be seen as a throw-in to a Red Sox trade for one of Texas' sterling catching prospects, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden. Epstein and the Red Sox have eagerly chased both backstoppers and have talked with the Rangers about both already this offseason.

Right now, the Rangers are holding firm with a demand for one of Boston's A+ starting prospects -- Clay Buchholz, Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden -- in exchange for either catcher, and Boston has maintained it's "untouchable" status on all three. If either side budges, or if a larger package eventually emerges, we could see this Littleton trade lumped into that deal as one of the outlying conditions making it possible.