The Red Sox didn’t stop with Jon Lester.
Boston sent veteran starter John Lackey to the Cardinals for righty Joe Kelly and first baseman Allen Craig. The move gives St. Louis another starter, after adding Justin Masterson for the pennant race on Wednesday, while Red Sox GM Ben Cherington moves on with his vow to make a run in 2015.
The Red Sox acquired slugger Yoenis Cespedes from the Athletics for Lester earlier on deadline day, and Craig and Kelly are also pieces the Red Sox can use immediately and next season.
Craig and Kelly were both critical parts for a Cardinals team that lost to the Red Sox in the World Series last season, but have regressed in 2014.
Kelly, 26, is 2-2 with a 4.37 ERA in seven starts, and has dealt with a hamstring injury. Craig, 30, is hitting .237 with seven home runs and 44 RBIs after back-to-back seasons in which he hit over .300 and drove in over 90 runs.