Red Sox trade for Adam LaRoche

BOSTON, July 22 (UPI) -- Boston acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh Wednesday for two prospects in what could be a lively period before the July 31 trading deadline.

The Pirates got Double-A shortstop Argenis Diaz and Class A right-handed pitcher Hunter Strickland.

LaRoche, 29, is earning $7.05 million in 2009 and will become a free agent at season's end.

He is batting .247, and despite a recent slump, was leading the Pirates with in homers at 12 with 40 RBI.

With the Red Sox, he will be reunited with former Pittsburgh teammate Jason Bay, who was dealt to Boston during the 2008 deadline.

"We want to create as much depth and redundancy as we possibly can before July 31," General Manager Theo Epstein said last week. "If you don't address depth ... then you're left without an opportunity to do so down the stretch and into what we hope will be another postseason."