Cubs deal Remlinger to Red Sox

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox tried to bolster their bullpen with yet another left-hander, getting Mike Remlinger and cash from the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday for minor league pitcher Olivo Astacio.

Remlinger made his Red Sox debut in Tuesday night's game against Texas but failed to record an out, starting the seventh inning and facing four batters before leaving with the bases loaded.

Right-hander Wade Miller was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right shoulder stiffness to make room on the roster for Remlinger. Miller, 4-4 with a 4.95 ERA, also missed the first 30 games of the season while recovering from a strained right shoulder.

Also Tuesday, the Red Sox traded outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named. Cruz was acquired from Arizona on July 30 and went 3-for-12 in four games for Boston before he was designated for assignment on Monday.

The AL East-leading Red Sox cut lefties Alan Embree and John Halama last month, and Remlinger was designated for assignment by the Cubs last Friday.

The 39-year-old Remlinger was 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA in 35 games with Chicago. While lefties have traditionally had better luck against left-handed hitters, Remlinger's season has been a different story. Batters were hitting .326 from the left side against him, while right-handed batters had a .210 average.

Remlinger had been one of the more reliable and durable lefty setup men in recent years. He was an NL All-Star in 2002 with Atlanta, which came during a stretch in which he made at least 70 appearances in five straight seasons.

* In another roster move, the Cubs recalled outfielder Corey Patterson from Class AAA Iowa and optioned infielder Ronny Cedeno to Iowa.

Patterson, an everyday starter when he was healthy the past three seasons, was sent down on July 8 while hitting .232.

At Iowa, Patterson was hitting .297 in 24 games with five homers and 12 RBIs.

With Jerry Hairston, who has played center field in Patterson's absence, on the disabled list, Patterson could prove vital for the Cubs, who lost their seventh straight Tuesday and are fading in the NL wild-card race.