BoSox send Gonzalez, Beckett, Crawford to Dodgers

BOSTON — The Los Angeles Dodgers are stocking up for the stretch run with some new, expensive players who couldn’t help the Boston Red Sox make it to the postseason this year or last.

The Dodgers acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, pitcher Josh Beckett and injured outfielder Carl Crawford from Boston on Saturday, hoping to boost their playoff hopes by taking on the underperforming and high-priced stars who failed to thrive in a fractious Red Sox clubhouse.

Boston also sent infielder Nick Punto and about $11 million in cash to Los Angeles in the nine-player trade that was the biggest in Dodgers history. In return, the Red Sox got first baseman James Loney, pitcher Allen Webster, infielder Ivan DeJesus Jr. and two players to be named while shedding more than $250 million in salaries through 2018.

“When we came in, we made it clear that we want to build the Dodgers back to what they once were,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said.

Los Angeles, which trailed the San Francisco Giants in the NL West by three games at the time of the trade, has in the past month acquired shortstop Hanley Ramirez, outfielder Shane Victorino, starter Joe Blanton and reliever Brandon League. The latest deal comes less than a week before the Aug. 31 deadline for players to be eligible for the postseason.

“It’s just exciting,” Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp said. “Everybody wants to win, and the guys up there are really making a statement and showing us that they want to win just as bad as we do.”

For the Red Sox, who entered the night 13 games back in the AL East, the trade signaled a concession for 2012 and a chance to rebuild without hefty contracts given during an undisciplined foray into free agency that, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington conceded, has not worked out.