The Boston Red Sox added another option to their outfield mix on Monday, acquiring Eli White from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tyler Uberstine.
The move came during the MLB trade deadline period and gives Boston a player who has already spent a large part of the season in a utility role for Atlanta. White had appeared in 69 games for the Braves before the deal, and his versatility makes him a straightforward fit for a Red Sox club that is trying to keep momentum in the postseason race.
What Boston is getting
White, 32, brings experience and flexibility. In his career, he has played in 345 games and has a.212 batting average with 25 home runs, 84 RBI and 117 runs scored. This season, he had hit.233 with five home runs, six doubles, one triple and 17 RBI in 133 at-bats for Atlanta.
He also showed some recent production right before the trade. On July 29, White went 3-for-5 in Atlanta's doubleheader against the New York Mets. Four days earlier, he had collected a double against the Baltimore Orioles.
That type of short-term production does not define a player, but it does help explain why Boston might see White as a useful stretch-run addition. The Red Sox were 60-51 and had won five straight games, keeping themselves in the mix in the AL East.
Why Atlanta could move him
The Braves had a different kind of roster picture. They were 67-45, held an eight-game advantage and were sitting in a stronger position in the NL East. They also had multiple other outfield options, which made White more available than he might have been on another roster.
That context matters. When a team is leading its division and has depth at a position, it can afford to turn that player into a developmental arm. Tyler Uberstine gives Atlanta another pitcher to work with as it keeps pace in the NL East.
For Boston, the deal is more immediate. White may not be a headline name, but he adds another experienced piece as the Red Sox keep pushing through the final stretch before the postseason picture becomes clearer.
