With an eye toward September (and beyond), Red Sox acquire OF Rajai Davis

CLEVELAND — The Red Sox acquired Oakland A's outfielder Rajai Davis in exchange for minor-league outfielder Rafael Rincones on Wednesday night.

Davis, 36, is in his 12th major-league season, having played for six major league teams. He had a slash line of .233/.294/.353 for a .647 OPS  with the A's. He led the league with 43 stolen bases last season with the Indians, and has swiped more than 40 bases five times.

The Sox were already interested in obtaining Davis for the stretch run in September. But the news yesterday that Jackie Bradley Jr. would require a DL stint after suffering a sprained left thumb Tuesday night served to speed up the process.

“We think he adds a nice dimension to our ballclub,’’ said Dave Dombrowski in announcing the deal. “He’s a guy we had talked about to add some speed in the month of September and with Jackie’s injury, I picked up the phone and called (Oakland president of baseball operations) Billy Beane today and sort of moved up the pace.’’

Last year, he set a career best 12 homers while with Cleveland and contributed a dramatic homer in Game 7 of the World Series to tie the game for Cleveland in the bottom of the eighth inning in their epic battle with the Chicago Cubs.

“He can still hit well,’’ said Dombrowski. “He’s hit over .300 since the All-Star break. He’s been a guy who’s contributed to pennant races. But how he’s going to be used will be up to John (Farrell).’’

Interestingly, after the Red Sox' 6-1 win over Cleveland Wednesday night, Farrell hinted that Davis might see considerable playing time as the regular center field -- until Bradley returns to the active roster.

"(I envision using him) likely in center field,'' Farrell said. "(Andrew Benintendi) has become a very good left fielder, particularly off the wall (at Fenway); I don't want to interrupt that. Rajai 's probably played more games in center field.''

Pressed if he was saying Davis would become the starting center fielder in Bradley's absence, Farrell seemed to take a step backward.

"We"ll see,'' he said. "But position-wise, we'd have him in center field.

Davis, a Connecticut native, is considered a decent outfielder. His chief attribute, however, is his speed. Davis has 26 steals in 32 tries with the A’s this season. He stole 43 bags in 49 attempts last year with the Indians.

“I think it’s important for a club that has a chance (to win) to want to add every little dimension that they can,’’ Dombrowski said. “To have that type of person that you can put on first and steal a big base at a time when (the opponent) knows you’re trying to steal is a nice situation.’’

Davis is familiar to both Dombrowski and Farrell. He played in Toronto in both of Farrell’s seasons there (2011-2012) and then spent two seasons with the Tigers (2014-2015) when Dombrowski was president of baseball operations.

“He’s a tremendous individual,’’ Dombrowski said. “We think the world of him. He’s a fantastic guy. He’s the type of person that everybody thinks the world of when they meet him. He’ll fit in with the ballclub well and he can play with a pennant contender, which we hope (to be).’’

Davis is also an experienced post-season performer, having been with Tigers in 2014 and the Indians last year.

“He’s a veteran player and he won’t get rattled,’’ Dombrowski said. “I think it helps.’’

Said one veteran scout: “He’ll give them protection from injuries and a righthanded bat who still runs (well).’’

Davis was with the A’s in Baltimore as they concluded a series early Wednesday evening and is expected to join the Sox Thursday in Cleveland.

Rincones, 17, is batting .258 in his second season with the Sox' Dominican Summer League team.