Byrd flies East to help Red Sox

By PAUL HOYNES

CLEVELAND — Last year, Paul Byrd and Boston didn’t mix. This year he has a chance to help them return to the World Series.

The Indians traded Byrd to Boston Tuesday for cash or a player to be named. The Red Sox assumed the estimated $2 million that remained on Byrd’s $7.5 million contract.

GM Mark Shapiro said the player coming back to the Indians, if there’s a player at all, will be of “little consequence.”

“This trade is about creating an opportunity for some of our players,” said Shapiro, “and giving Paul a chance to get to the postseason. It also gives us $2 million that ownership says we can allocate to next year’s team.”

Four teams, including Boston and the White Sox, expressed interest in Byrd. Injuries and Byrd’s hot pitching made Shapiro a popular phone partner with contending general managers.

Boston just put knuckleballer Tim Wakefield on the disabled list with a sore right shoulder. The White Sox lost right-hander Jose Contreras for the season with an Achilles tendon injury over the weekend.

Byrd will make his first start for Boston on Friday against Toronto at Rogers Centre. In his last start for the Indians, Byrd threw a complete game six-hitter against Toronto Saturday.

It would have been hard for Shapiro to trade with division rival Chicago, but not impossible. When the Indians were looking for offense on the way to the AL Central title last year, they talked to Chicago about outfielder Jermaine Dye.

Left-hander Aaron Laffey or right-hander Zach Jackson, both at Class AAA Buffalo, are the candidates to replace Byrd in the rotation. Whoever gets the call will start against Baltimore Thursday.

“I’m happy and sad,” Byrd said. “Cleveland has been great to me. The fans have always cheered for me. When I walked off the field in my last start at home [Aug. 2], the fans gave me a standing ovation. It was very special for me.”

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