NEW YORK - Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia will be traded to the Milwaukee Brewers today. That isn't bad news for the Red Sox, who had some concerns that Sabathia might end up with an American League rival like Tampa Bay or the Yankees.

The Red Sox had some discussions with the Indians about Sabathia, who can be a free agent at the end of this season. The teams discussed some names, but never got close enough to make the discussions serious.

The Indians were looking for impact bats, and that's something the Sox don't have much of at the upper levels of their minor-league system. Boston's best hitting prospect is first baseman Lars Anderson, who is still at Single A and probably won't reach the big leagues until 2011.

The Indians wanted someone who could help starting next year and focused on Milwaukee Double A outfielder Matt Laporta as the centerpiece of the deal.