We reported earlier that Mark Kotsay wasn't in the Braves' starting lineup, in possible anticipation of a trade.

According to an ESPN.com report, sources have told ESPN's Peter Gammons and ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney today that the Red Sox are on the verge of acquiring center fielder Kotsay from the Atlanta Braves.

Boston is talking to Kotsay about his limited no-trade clause.

The 12-year veteran is batting .289 with six home runs and 37 RBIs this season. His on-base percentage is .338, compared to .319 for Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp, who is batting .257.

NEW YORK --- After Johnny Damon got the Yankees off to a roaring start by hitting a leadoff homer against Sox starter Tim Wakefield, marking Damon's third leadoff homer of the season and 25th of his career, the Red Sox rallied to tie it, 1-1, in the second and then erupted for two more runs in the third.

David Ortiz and Kevin Youkillis ripped back-to-back doubles off Andy Pettitte. Youk's drove in Big Papi and Jason Bay came up and drove in Youk with a run-scoring single up the middle to give the Sox a 3-2 lead.

Outfielder Mark Kotsay wasn't in the Braves' starting lineup tonight.

Both the Sox and Phillies were interested in obtaining him, according to a report on Foxsports, so we'll see if this means Kotsay has been dealt or if there's an unrelated reason.

NEW YORK -- The Sox announced before tonight's game that RHP Tim Wakefield had been activated, which really was nothing more than a formality.

In what also was a fait accompli, the Sox placed outfielder J.D. Drew (lower back strain) on the 15-day disabled list. Manager Terry Francona hinted as much when he reported during his pregame news conference that Drew had visited with a spine specialist in New York this morning and that, "we still have some talking to do with [Drew]."

NEW YORK -- Josh Beckett, who had been shelved after being hampered by a tingling feeling in the fingers of his right throwing arm in his last outing (2.1 innings, 8 hits, 8 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts) Aug. 17 vs. the Blue Jays, threw a side session today at Yankee Stadium that convinced Sox manager Terry Francona his ace would be available to take his next turn in the rotation against the White Sox Friday at Fenway Park.

"Beckett threw a side and did really well," Francona told reporters during his pregame news conference. "He threw 50 pitches and he was strong and he's ready to go Friday. I'm excited, and because he's excited so are we."

Francona reported Beckett, "did a real good flat-ground [session] and had a really good bullpen and he's all set to go."

Asked if Beckett was pain-free, tingle-free, Francona replied, "Yes, we wouldn't let him throw a side until he was symptom free."

Was there any particular need to see how he will be Wednesday?

"We'll always check with everybody, but we're pretty comfortable that he's ready to go," Francona said. "He probably could've pitched the other day, but we always try to do things the right way, even when it's not easy to do. I think we're real comfortable backing him up, because now he can go out and pitch and not think about it and go out and compete."

Francona wasn't as encouraged with J.D. Drew (back), who saw a spine specialist this morning in New York and appeared headed for the disabled list. As a precaution, the Sox brought along Joe Thurston to New York.

"Obviously, you saw we have Thurston here and there's a pretty good chance that we're going to activate Thurston for this game," he said.

Francona expected to make an announcement on that before the game. We'll bring it to you when it happens. Earlier in the afternoon, the Sox announced they had optioned Chris Smith to Pawtucket. As reported by Amalie Benjamin, Smith was optioned, but Thurston took his spot on the 25-man roster. Thurston was purchased from Pawtucket, and was also placed on the 40-man roster. To make room on the 40-man, Bartolo Colon was moved to the 60-day disabled list.

On the Mike Lowell front, Francona lit up and said, "Mikey's doing real well. He did a bunch of core work today and had a strengthening exam with the trainers. He won't hit today. But if everything goes like they think it will, he'll hit off the tee tomorrow. He's doing very well."

Francona declined to place a timetable on Lowell's return from his oblique injury, but he did indicate the injury was confined to his oblique and was not related to a nagging hip injury Lowell has battled through this season.

"Yes, I think that hip is going to be sore from time to time, just because he has that condition, but that's never stopped him from playing, or playing well," Francona said. "We just need to get rid of this oblique."

With this three-game set against the Yankees likely to loom large in the Sox' postseason hopes, Francona was not about to wax nostalgic on this trip being his last to the venerable House That Ruth Built.

"I don't think we allow ourselves to get caught up in that," Francona said. "What makes this place so special I don't think is the building, it's what happened in this stadium. There's so many great players and great teams that have come through here. That's what makes this place so special.

"Any team can erect monuments, but the reason those monuments are up is because they're great players, that's no secret," Francona added. "But we're moving what, a hundred yards? The only difference from where I sit is that their payroll will go up a bunch more and make it harder for us."

Jeff Bailey was inserted into lineup in place of Sean Casey, who reported no ill effects from the stiff neck that bothered him at Toronto. Francona opted for Bailey because Casey "hasn't picked up a bat in five days," he said. "Even though his numbers are really good, for a guy who hasn't picked up a bat in four or five days, you're probably not going to see the hitter you're looking for."

Paul Byrd weighed in on the implementation of instant replay in Friday's games.

"I think it'll be good," he said. "As long as it doesn't make the game go too slow, I think it's good. There have been some tough calls this year and there's always going to be tough calls. Guys are having enough trouble calling outs on the bases and strikes and this and that, so to make a call about 100 feet away after someone smokes the ball off the wall, I think it's a good thing."

Asked if he had any concerns about replays lengthening already lengthy games, Byrd replied, "Yeah, I think so. It's going to be weird, `Hey, let's take a timeout, throw the red flag, and go review it [like in the NFL].' That's going to be weird. I think that's a situation that's needed, especially if I get blown up and it's not really a home run."

While we said earlier that Chris Smith has been optioned to Pawtucket to make room for Tim Wakefield, that isn't technically true. Smith was optioned, but Joe Thurston took his spot on the 25-man roster. Thurston was purchased from Pawtucket, and was also placed on the 40-man roster. To make room on the 40-man, Bartolo Colon was moved to the 60-day disabled list. (That doesn't actually make a difference for Colon, as he's been on long enough that he can be taken off at any time.)

Wakefield has not yet been activated. That means there will be another move before tonight's first pitch.

NEW YORK -- A few quick nuggets from Yankee Stadium ...

• Reliever Chris Smith was sent to Pawtucket to make a spot for tonight's starter, Tim Wakefield, to come off the disabled list.
• Outfielder Joe Thurston (.314 10 homers, 62 RBIs with Triple A Pawtucket this season) is here but has not been activated. He likely would get added to the roster if the Red Sox put J.D. Drew (missed the last six games with a back injury) on the DL. A decision has not yet been made on Drew, who went to a spine specialist this morning in New York.
• First baseman Sean Casey is actually able to play tonight, saying his stiff neck is better. However, Jeff Bailey will get the start at first base.

NEW YORK -- Here are the lineups for tonight's game:

Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
5. Jason Bay, LF
6. Jed Lowrie, SS
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Jeff Bailey, 1B
9. Kevin Cash, C
-- Tim Wakefield, SP

Yankees

1. Johnny Damon, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Jason Giambi, 1B
6. Xavier Nady, LF
7. Hideki Matsui, DH
8. Robinson Cano, 2B
9. Jose Molina, C
-- Andy Pettitte, SP