BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox, filling a gaping hole at third base, obtained Ed Sprague, a two-time World Series winner who was a part-time player this season with San Diego.

Friday's trade sent two players from Boston's Double-A team in Augusta (Ga.), infielder Cesar Saba and right-hander Dennis Tankersley, to the Padres.

Sprague, 32, is signed through the end of this season. He was expected to join Boston for Saturday's game in Chicago against the White Sox.

"We think he'll be able to help us for the remainder of the campaign and solidify our lineup with some RBI production," Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette said. "He'll also solidify our need for some offensive production at third base."

Sprague, who has 10 homers, is expected to take over for struggling Wilton Veras, a promising prospect who is in an 8-for-63 slump and has struggled in the field.

"He's a veteran guy who knows how to play and knows how to win," Boston manager Jimy Williams said. "When you trade for a player like that, the best thing is to put him right in there."

The Red Sox turned to Veras after John Valentin suffered a season-ending knee injury May 30. Veras is batting .244 with no homers and 14 RBIs in 164 at bats. He has 13 errors in 48 games.

Duquette made it clear he was seeking more help, but said "we don't have anything else to announce today."

The Red Sox reportedly have agreed to terms with outfielder Bernard Gilkey, who was released last weekend by Arizona. He hit .110 for the Diamondbacks and had just two hits in his last 48 at-bats. His best season came in 1996 when he hit .317 with 30 homers and 117 RBIs for the New York Mets.

"We're still looking to add some players," Duquette said.

The Red Sox hope Sprague, a member of the Toronto Blue Jays teams that won the World Series in 1992 and 1993, can help them get there this year. He is hitting .274 with 25 RBIs in 117 at-bats this season, his first with San Diego.

He also can play first base and the outfield.

"One of the functions of the minor league system is to help your major league team during the season," Duquette said. "We're giving up potential major league players in the future in an effort to keep our team in the race now."

The Red Sox ended a five-game losing streak Thursday night by beating Baltimore, leaving them third in the AL East, 3{ games behind Toronto.

Sprague spent last year with Pittsburgh, batting .267 in 137 games with 22 homers and 81 RBIs. He made the NL All-Star team after batting .300 with 16 homers in the first half of the season.

He began his major league career with Toronto in 1991 as a catcher, then moved to third base in 1993. Entering this season, Sprague had a .246 career average with 138 homers.

Saba, 18, hit .266 with two homers and 30 RBIs in 47 games with Augusta.

"He has a chance to be an everyday major league player," Duquette said.

Tankersley was 5-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 75 1-3 innings.

Padres general manager Kevin Towers said the New York Yankees also showed interest in Sprague, but the Red Sox had the better offer.

"We really like the young shortstop (Saba) we got," Towers said. "He's a ways away, but he has a lot of ability."

Getting Saba fills a void, Towers said, because the Padres have no legitimate shortstop prospects in their farm system. Kevin Nicholson was called up last week from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Sprague is making $800,000 in salary this year. By being traded, $500,000 in performance bonuses becomes automatically vested, which the Red Sox must pay.