FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Boston Red Sox acquired Mike Carp from the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, adding another potentially useful bat to their roster shortly before the start of exhibition games.

Seattle designated the 26-year-old Carp for assignment earlier this month, and the Mariners will receive a player to be named or cash from Boston. Carp can play first base and left field.

“It increases the competition,” Boston Manager John Farrell said.

“We’ve been able to add a talented player to camp here, someone that we’ve had conversations about throughout the course of the offseason. Finally he became available.”

Carp was drafted by the Mets in 2004 and was traded to Seattle in December 2008 in a deal that sent reliever J.J. Putz to New York.

Carp appeared in 173 games with Seattle from 2009-12, and batted .255 with 28 doubles and 18 homers. In 2011, Carp hit .276 with 12 homers in a career-high 79 games. His average dipped to .213 in 59 games last year. He was designated for assignment Feb. 12 to make room on the 40-man roster for pitcher Joe Saunders.

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Boston made room for Carp on its 40-man roster by putting outfielder Ryan Kalish on the 60-day disabled list. Kalish is recovering from right shoulder surgery.

The Red Sox signed Jonny Gomes to play left field. Fellow newcomer Shane Victorino is expected to be in right with Jacoby Ellsbury in center.

Boston is hoping Mike Napoli can be its regular first baseman, but there are still roster spots available that Carp could fill. The Red Sox signed first baseman Lyle Overbay to a minor league contract, but his chance of making the team may be diminished with Carp’s arrival.

“You bring guys in here to win games and to give options because you never know those unknowns. I think their biggest thing was playing outfield and first base,” Overbay said. “I knew all that coming into it, so it’s not that big of a surprise. I’ll just do what I can and see if I fit. That’s all I can do.”

NATIONALS: Pitcher Gio Gonzalez said he is still waiting to hear from Major League Baseball, which is conducting an investigation linking him and other players to the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla.

Gonzalez has denied he ever received performance-enhancing drugs from the clinic. ESPN reported that Gonzalez was the only client named so far who had not received PEDs.

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MARLINS: Giancarlo Stanton was hit in the back of the helmet during an intrasquad game by a fastball that got away from Jose Fernandez, the team’s top pitching prospect. Stanton remained on his feet but left the game and said the beaning affected his eyesight. Stanton said he didn’t expect to miss any playing time but further medical evaluation was planned.

YANKEES: Starter Phil Hughes is getting treatment for a bulging disk and will be on anti-inflammatory medication for four to five days. Hughes said that he’s getting better every day and isn’t concerned about the injury being a long-term problem.

DIAMONDBACKS: Joe Garagiola, the ballplayer-turned-announcer who was honored by the Hall of Fame for his on-air work, is ending his broadcast career after nearly six decades.

The 87-year-old Garagiola said that he’s retiring as a part-time television analyst for Arizona after 15 years.

Garagiola entertained audiences for 58 years with a sharp sense of humor and a seemingly endless list of stories. His personality transcended sports and landed him a pair of stints on the “Today” show and a slot as a guest host in Johnny Carson’s seat on “The Tonight Show.”


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