As the pennant races heat up in Major league Baseball, teams scramble to make post deadline deals to sure up their teams or perhaps prevent other contenders of strengthening theirs. Today the Boston Red Sox claimed outfielder Johnny Damon, a previous player for the team, off of waivers from the Detroit Tigers. Baseball analysts feel that it is entirely possible that the Red Sox made a preemptive move in order to make sure that another contender that may be competing with the Sox down the stretch would not be able to get Damon.

The Red Sox are still in contention, six and a half games behind division leader New York, and five and a half games out of the wild-card race, behind Tampa Bay. Damon, who was one of the fan favorites in Boston when he played there from 2002-2005, is batting .270 this year with 7 home runs, and 40 rbi’s in 11 games played this season. He is 36 years old and has a good amount of post season experiences with the Red Sox as well as Yankees.

In order for a trade to be finalized, the Red Sox have 48 hours to work something out with the Tigers, and than Damon must waive his no trade clause of his current one year contract with Detroit.