Sox finally send Scutaro to Rockies for right-hander Mortensen

A day after the first rumblings of a potential deal in the offing, the Red Sox have traded shortstop Marco Scutaro to the Colorado Rockies for 26-year-old right handed pitcher Clayton Mortensen. The move presumably provides valuable financial flexibility for the Red Sox to spend money at another position, as the organization has been reported to strongly desire to stay below the 2012 luxury tax ceiling. Scutaro will make $6-million this season. 

Last season, Mortensen split time between the majors and Triple-A for the Rockies. In the majors, he went 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 16 appearances, 6 of them starts, allowing 25 earned runs on 55 hits (.257 BAA) in 58.1 innings of work, striking out 30 and walking 26. A former first-round sandwich pick of the St. Louis Cardinals out of Gonzaga, Mortensen is 4-8 with a 5.12 ERA in 24 major league appearances, including 13 starts, over 95 innings pitched with stops in St. Louis, Oakland and Colorado.

According to a report by WEEI.com's Alex Speier, Mortensen has one option remaining. Mortensen primarily utilizes an 89-90 mph sinker, also throwing a changeup, slider, and curveball. Mortensen went to Oakland from St. Louis in the trade for outfielder Matt Holliday, and last year was sent to the Rockies in exchange for minor league pitcher Ethan Hollingsworth.

Scutaro, 36, played two seasons in Boston showing solid offense for the shortstop position and the versatility to play second base. He will play second base for the Rockies, who already have Troy Tulowitzki at short.

Tweet