OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics got some relief for their injury-depleted outfield Sunday, acquiring Ryan Langerhans in a trade with the Atlanta Braves for a player to be named or cash.

Langerhans will join the A's in Boston on Tuesday and is slated to start in center field for the opener of the two-game series with the Red Sox.

"He plays all three outfield positions, and given our situation with all the injuries, we need as many healthy bodies as we can get," A's general manager Billy Beane said. "He's a player we've liked in the past. He's off to a rough start in Atlanta and he became available to us."

To make room on the roster for Langerhans, Oakland optioned Sunday's losing pitcher, Dallas Braden, to Triple-A Sacramento. Braden made his second major league start and could be called back up to pitch on either May 10 or 12.

"I don't know how to react right now," Langerhans said Sunday in Colorado after a game against the Rockies. "I know I'm going to a place where I'll have a chance to get more at-bats. I have to look at it as a good thing for me right now."

Langerhans can play all three outfield spots, which gives manager Bob Geren some flexibility he has been missing with starting center fielder Mark Kotsay on the 60-day disabled list recovering from back surgery and right fielder Milton Bradley on the 15-day DL with a strained left hamstring. Aside from those two, Nick Swisher has been sidelined with a strained left hamstring and Bobby Kielty is nursing a strained left calf that still might land him on the DL.

"It feels good," Geren said after Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. "He is a major league outfielder, a quality outfielder. He can play center, he can play the corners. That will definitely help. It seems the Braves are on everywhere. I've seen him play. He's hard-nosed."

This was the second trade in three days for the ailing defending AL West champion A's, who picked up outfielder Chris Denorfia -- recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and not expected to play until 2008 -- in a swap with Cincinnati on Friday and sent right-hander Marcus McBeth to the Reds on Saturday as one of two players to be named in the deal.

Langerhans was batting .068 (3-for-44) in 20 games for the Braves this season.

"Oakland wants him, No. 1," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "I think this gives him a chance to play center field for them."