Red Sox pull off another big deadline deal, trade for Indians’ All-Star Victor Martinez

Red Sox get All-Star Victor Martinez from Indians

CLEVELAND — His No. 41 jersey hanging a few feet away, Victor Martinez sat stunned in front of his locker in Cleveland’s clubhouse — for the last time. He squeezed his young son to his chest and wiped tears from both of their faces.

The moment he feared, the one he wasn’t prepared for, had arrived.

Martinez had been traded by the Indians, the team that signed him as a 17-year-old shortstop in Venezuela, nurtured him and watched him develop into an All-Star.

It was time to go to Boston, to help the Red Sox try to win another pennant.

“It’s tough because I’m leaving my house,” he said, his voice choked with emotion. “This was my house. It’s really tough.”

Shortly before Friday’s trade deadline, the Red Sox got the big bat they needed by acquiring the versatile Martinez from the rebuilding Indians for right-hander Justin Masterson and minor league pitchers Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price.

Martinez, who had spent his whole career with Cleveland, cried after being told by general manager Mark Shapiro that he been traded. Earlier in the day, with rumors of a deal heating up, his 4-year-old namesake asked his dad, “Are we still an Indian?”

Later, after arriving at Progressive Field, Martinez explained to his boy, who was wearing a replica jersey just like his dad’s, that they would be moving.

“He asked me,” Martinez said, “‘What number are we going to wear?’”

The trade of the 30-year-old Martinez is the second major deal pulled off in 72 hours by the disappointing Indians, who shipped reigning AL Cy Young winner Cliff Lee to Philadelphia on Wednesday for prospects.

Martinez leaves Cleveland a day before the Indians were to hold Victor Martinez Bobblehead Night. Before Friday’s game, workers for a sign company removed banners outside the ballpark with Martinez’s picture on them.

As tough as it was on Martinez, the deal was equally painful for Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro, the team’s farm director when they signed Martinez in 1996.

“Among my 18 years in the game, I have not had the privilege to be around a finer person, a finer teammate, a finer father, husband and friend than Vic,” Shapiro said. “Obviously the most difficult part of this job is balancing the personal side with the business side and the professional side. It is certainly a challenging personal moment for me, for our organization.”

Martinez, who had a $7 million club option for next season, will move into a pennant race, joining a Red Sox team that is second in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, but leads the wild-card chase.

“Everybody knows I play to win,” said Martinez, a three-time All-Star, who entered the season with a .298 career average. “I love this game and I’ll go there and do the same thing. As soon as I cross the line, I’m all about winning. I want a World Series ring.”

Martinez will likely share catching duties in Boston with Jason Varitek.

“What we’re getting in Victor is a middle of the order, switch-hitting batter, who can catch, play first, DH,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “It’s a very valuable piece, There are a lot of things to like about Victor. He can help take a little off Tek (Varitek) and we can do a lot to hopefully be able to attack a lot of the better pitching in the league.”

The Red Sox didn’t give up Clay Buchholz, one of their top pitching prospects, for Martinez but parted with three quality arms.

Martinez’s deal completed a rash of trades by the Indians, who have acquired 11 players — nine pitchers — in five trades since June 27.

Cleveland, which began the weekend 12 games out in the AL Central, has slashed nearly $25 million in payroll by trading Lee, Martinez, third baseman Mark DeRosa, reliever Rafael Betancourt and first baseman Ryan Garko.

“When you don’t perform or have good results, things are going to happen like this,” Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore said. “It’s start from scratch now.”

Shapiro refuted the notion the Indians made “sweeping changes” and said he feels the Indians have added quality players to a team that can contend next season in the weak AL Central.

“I don’t think there’s any reason not to be optimistic,” Shapiro said.

The versatile Masterson was Boston’s second-round pick in 2006. He went 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 31 appearances, including six starts for the Red Sox this season. The 6-foot-6 righty was a key part of the Red Sox’s run to the playoffs a year ago, going 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 36 games after being called up from the minors.

Shapiro said Masterson will be recalled on Saturday and will immediately join the starting rotation.

Masterson, who grew up in Ohio, had mixed emotions on changing teams.

“Bittersweet is the word,” he said in Baltimore before the Red Sox faced the Orioles. “I’ll be going home to where I grew up, but I will be leaving a great organization in the Red Sox. It was a great opportunity for me to be here, but I’ll still be getting a great opportunity.”

The 23-year-old Hagadone, a 6-foot-5 lefty, has pitched sparingly since being drafted No. 55 overall by the Red Sox in 2007. He missed much of the 2008 season after having Tommy John surgery and has worked only 25 innings this year, going 0-2 with a 2.52 ERA at Class A Greenville.

Price was drafted 45th overall in 2008. The 22-year-old righty has struggled in his first two years of pro ball, going 5-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 31 outings.

This marked the second straight year the Red Sox made a splash at the trade deadline. Last season, they dealt away Manny Ramirez and got Jason Bay.

Boston general manager Theo Epstein has been active this month: He traded shortstop Julio Lugo to St. Louis for minor leaguer Chris Duncan, got outfielder Brian Anderson from the Chicago White Sox for infielder Mark Kotsay and acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh for prospects. LaRoche was traded Friday to Atlanta for first baseman Casey Kotchman.

But a bigger deal, for Toronto ace Roy Halladay, fell apart because Toronto reportedly wanted both Buchholz and reliever Daniel Bard.

AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen in Boston and David Ginsburg in Baltimore contributed to this report.