Red Sox Trade Stephen Drew To Yankees For Kelly Johnson

As if this year’s MLB trade deadline couldn’t get any more active, multiple outlets now are reporting that the Boston Red Sox have shipped Stephen Drew to the Bronx.

ESPN.com’s Gordon Edes was the first to report that Drew has been traded to the New York Yankees. The Red Sox will receive infielder Kelly Johnson in return, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.

UPDATE (4:25 p.m.): The teams have confirmed the trade.

Drew’s return to Boston after a lengthy period of free-agent shopping did not go as planned for the shortstop. He posted a .176/.255/.328 slash line with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 39 games after making his season debut in early June.

Drew, who will shift to second base with Derek Jeter occupying short in New York, actually had begun to turn it on a bit of late, reaching base in 12 of his final 13 games with the Red Sox. He won’t have to wait long to face his former team — the Yankees come to Fenway Park for a three-game series beginning Friday night.

Johnson, who currently is on the disabled list with a groin injury, has seen time at six positions (including designated hitter) for the Yankees this season. He’s batting .219 with six homers and 22 RBIs in 77 games.

The reported trade, the first between the Red Sox and Yankees since 1997, capped a wild deadline day that saw Drew, Jon Lester, Jonny Gomes, John Lackey and Andrew Miller all join new teams.