Tag: patrick halligan

Red Sox’ Patrick Halligan named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week

Red Sox minor leaguer Patrick Halligan has been named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week of May 11-17, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Halligan made two scoreless and hitless appearances (one start) in Double-A Portland’s series on the road against Hartford this past week. On Wednesday, the 26-year-old right-hander earned the win out of the bullpen after firing two shutout, no-hit innings of relief. He issued one walk, recorded two strikeouts, and threw 25 pitches (15 strikes), generating five whiffs.

Three days later, Halligan started for Portland in place of fellow righty Jedixson Paez, who was scratched due to a sore hip. He responded by retiring all 12 batters he faced over four perfect innings in which he fanned four. This time around, Halligan threw 45 pitches (33 strikes) and induced nine swings-and-misses.

Following his award-winning week, Halligan is now 1-0 with a 5.70 ERA (5.08 FIP) and a 34:11 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 11 outings (two starts) spanning 23 2/3 innings for Portland this season. Opponents are batting .258 against him overall, though he has proven far more effective against left-handed hitters (.179) than right-handed hitters (.315) thus far.

Among 69 pitchers in the Eastern League who have thrown at least 20 innings to this point in the year, Halligan notably ranks fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (12.93), sixth in strikeout rate (32.4%), 12th in swinging-strike rate (14.7 percent), and 17th in xFIP (3.95), per FanGraphs.

Originally selected in the 13th round (391st overall) of the 2021 draft out of Pensacola State College, Halligan spent time in the Royals, Braves, and Astros organizations before joining the Red Sox as a minor league free agent in January following a strong showing in the Puerto Rican and Dominican Winter Leagues. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound hurler features a low-90s fastball that can reach 92-93 mph as well as a splitter, slider, and curveball.

Halligan, who does not turn 27 until October, is not currently ranked among Boston’s top pitching prospects by SoxProspects.com. The outlet describes him as a potential “emergency up-and-down bullpen arm if he throws strikes on a more consistent basis.”

With prior experience at the minors’ top level, it would not be surprising to see Halligan get an opportunity at Triple-A Worcester before long if he continues throwing the ball the way he has as of late for Portland.

(Picture of Patrick Halligan: Michael Owens/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox sign 6-foot-6 righty Patrick Halligan to minor league deal

The Red Sox have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with free-agent right-hander Patrick Halligan, as was first reported by Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com. It does not appear as though the deal comes with an invitation to major league spring training.

Halligan, 26, has never pitched in the majors. The Virginia native was originally selected by the Royals in the 13th round (397th overall) of the 2021 draft out of Pensacola State College (Fla.). He received a $132,500 signing bonus but spent just one full season in Kansas City’s system before being released in March 2023.

Days after being cut loose by the Royals, Halligan latched on with the Braves and split the 2023 campaign between the High-A and Double-A levels while also pitching in the Arizona Fall League. The righty followed that up by putting together arguably his best professional season to date in 2024, as he forged a 3.02 ERA with 67 strikeouts to 25 walks in a career-high 41 appearances (one start) spanning 50 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Opposing hitters batted just .191 against him.

Following the start of the 2025 season, Halligan was dealt to the Astros on April 11 as the player to be named later in the trade that sent veteran reliever Rafael Montero to the Braves three days prior. He reported to Houston’s Double-A affiliate in Corpus Christi and worked his way up to Triple-A Sugar Land of the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in mid-June. Though he surrendered six earned runs in four outings (4 2/3 innings) for the Space Cowboys before being sent back down on July 1, Halligan finished the year having posted a 3.48 ERA with 62 strikeouts to 21 walks in 35 relief appearances (51 2/3 innings) for the Hooks.

Altogether, Halligan owns a lifetime 4.34 ERA with 282 strikeouts to 104 walks over 146 career minor league outings (14 starts) totaling 265 1/3 innings dating back to August 2021. That includes a 7.30 ERA with 10 strikeouts to 13 walks across 12 1/3 frames in parts of three seasons (2022, 2024-2025) at the Triple-A level.

Listed at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Halligan fits the physical mold the Red Sox have sought in pitchers under chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. In his four Triple-A appearances last year, the burly hurler featured a lower-90s four-seam fastball, a mid-80s slider, and a lower-80s splitter, per Prospect Savant.

It remains to be seen whether Halligan, who does not turn 27 until October, will start the 2026 season at Double-A Portland or Triple-A Worcester. Nonetheless, he is coming off an impressive stint in the Puerto Rican Winter League that saw him produce a 2.82 ERA with 30 strikeouts to six walks in 20 relief appearances (22 1/3 innings) for the Indios de Mayaguez. He has since joined the Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League as a reinforcement for the playoffs there.

(Picture of Patrick Halligan: Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images)