Red Sox acquire C Michael McKenry from Colorado

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First it was on, then it was off. But in the end, the Red Sox did indeed acquire catcher Michael McKenry from the Colorado Rockies for right-handed pitcher Daniel Turpen.

News of the deal was broken by the New York Post Tuesday afternoon, then immediately denied by the Red Sox. But Tuesday night, shortly after 8 p.m., the club announced the move.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated catcher Mark Wagner for assignment.

McKenry, 26, spent the 2010 season with Colorados Triple-A Colorado Springs club before making his big-league debut in September, appearing in six games overall with the Rockies and making one start at catcher.

With Colorado Springs, he hit .265 (92-for-347) with 23 doubles, 1 triple, 10 home runs and 49 RBI in 99 games. McKenrys 94 games behind the plate tied for the most in the Pacific Coast League and he led league backstops with 691 total chances, 624 putouts and 60 assists. He threw out 23 of 80 attempted base stealers (29 percent), fifth among PCL leaders.

McKenry owns a .265 average (465-for-1758) with 127 doubles, 66 home runs, 287 RBI, 262 runs and 229 walks in 491 career minor-league games. He hit two home runs and collected four RBI in 11 spring training games with the Rockies this year.

Turpen, 24, was acquired by the Red Sox from San Francisco last season, then picked by the Yankees in December's Rule 5 draft. Rule 5 players are required to spend the entire season on the major-league roster or be returned to the team from which they were drafted, and the Sox got Turpen back from the Yanks on March 13.

He had a combined 7-6 record with four saves and a 4.30 ERA (33 ER69.0 IP) in 49 relief appearances between Double-A Richmond and Double-A Portland, including a 2-1 mark with three saves and a 4.91 ERA (10 ER18.1 IP) in 12 outings with Portland after he was traded to the Red Sox on July 31 for right-hander Ramon Ramirez.

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