Red Sox trade for Rays’ RHP Eovaldi

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Boston Red Sox have obtained right-handed starter Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league lefty Jalen Beeks.

Eovaldi had been scheduled to start the Rays’ game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday but was scratched about two hours before game time.

“I assumed there was a possibility, of course, especially where I am in my career and the way my contract was for this year,” Eovaldi said before leaving Tropicana Field. “I was assuming that I would be traded, but as for what team it would be, I wasn’t thinking about that at all.”

Eovaldi can become a free agent after this season.

The deal was announced less than 12 hours after Boston’s main AL East rival, the Yankees, obtained reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore.

Britton to join Yankees on Thursday, Chapman remains closer: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone says newly acquired reliever Zach Britton will fill a variety of roles at the back end of the bullpen but that Aroldis Chapman remains the closer.

Boone says Britton may get to close on days that Chapman isn’t available to pitch. But he stressed Wednesday that “Chappy is our closer.”

The Yankees acquired Britton from the rebuilding Baltimore Orioles for three prospects late Tuesday, a trade expected to bolster New York’s bullpen for the stretch run.

Britton will join the Yankees for Thursday night’s home game against Kansas City.

Yankees’ Sanchez expected back in late August or early September: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman expects injured catcher Gary Sanchez will be sidelined until late August or early September because a strained right groin.

Cashman updated Sanchez’s status during a Wednesday conference call that centered on the Yankees’ acquisition of reliever Zach Britton from Baltimore for three prospects late Tuesday.

Sanchez was put back on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday because of the injury, a day after failing to hustle on a pair of key plays in a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay.