Tag: pitching prospects

Red Sox trade breakout pitching prospect Ovis Portes to Reds for bullpen help

The Red Sox parted ways with a promising young pitching prospect to upgrade their bullpen depth in a trade with the Reds on Tuesday afternoon.

In exchange for reliever Lucas Sims, who is eligible for free agency this winter, Boston dealt right-hander Ovis Portes to Cincinnati, per a club announcement. Injured left-hander Brandon Walter was also designated for assignment to make room for Sims on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster.

Portes was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 29 prospect in Boston’s farm system, ranking 10th among pitchers in the organization. The 19-year-old hurler broke onto the scene this season after posting a 2.12 ERA (3.12 FIP) with 41 strikeouts to 19 walks in 11 appearances (five starts) spanning 34 innings between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Salem.

A native of Antigua and Barbuda, Portes originally signed with the Red Sox for $25,000 as an international free agent in March 2022. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League that June and repeated the level last year, though he was limited to just four outings in which he put up underwhelming results.

Portes broke camp this past spring with the rookie-level FCL Red Sox and strung together four straight scoreless appearances (13 innings) before earning a promotion to Salem in early June. He then pitched to a 3.43 ERA (3.64 FIP) with 25 strikeouts to 15 walks in seven outings (five starts) and 21 innings for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted .213 against him.

Standing at 6-foot-4 and 167 pounds, Portes throws from a three-quarters arm slot. The projectable righty has been sitting between 94-96 mph and topping out at 98 mph with his four-seam fastball this season while also mixing in a low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup, per his Baseball America scouting report.

Portes, who does not turn 20 until December, has been assigned to the Reds’ Low-A affiliate in Daytona, Fla. It remains to be seen if Cincinnati plans on developing Portes as a starter or reliever, but he nonetheless possesses intriguing potential at this stage in his career.

(Picture of Ovis Portes: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox promote pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas, Gilberto Batista to Low-A Salem

In addition to Franklin Arias and Juan Valera, Red Sox pitching prospects Yeferson Vargas and Gilberto Batista have also been promoted from the Florida Complex League to Low-A Salem, as was first reported by Beyond the Monster’s Hunter Noll.

Vargas, who turns 20 next month, posted a 3.13 ERA and 4.58 FIP with 29 strikeouts to 13 walks in 10 appearances (three starts) spanning 31 2/3 innings for the rookie-level FCL Red Sox. That translates to a 22 percent strikeout rate and a 9.8 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted .256 against him.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Vargas originally signed with the Red Sox for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of San Pedro de Macoris in December 2022. The hard-throwing righty made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last June and is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 54 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 29th among pitchers in the organization.

Listed at 6-foot and 177 pounds, Vargas was recently described by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen as a “stout” hurler who “has cut his walks substantially compared to 2023 while also enjoying a two- or three-tick velocity spike.” According to Longenhagen, Vargas has averaged 95-96 mph and reached 98 with his fastball this season while featuring a “snappy” curveball in the 81-84 mph range.

Batista, who does not turn 20 until January, forged a 3.92 ERA and 3.51 FIP with 23 strikeouts to 13 walks in eight appearances (five starts) spanning 20 2/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .220 batting average. That translates to a 24.2 percent strikeout rate and a 13.7 percent walk rate.

Like Vargas, Batista hails from the Dominican Republic and signed with the Red Sox in late 2022. He, too, received a modest $10,000 signing bonus but impressed in his professional debut (3.54 ERA in 40 2/3 innings) in the DSL last season and was recognized as the organization’s Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.

Standing at 6-foot and 165 pounds, Batista is not currently ranked by SoxProspects.com as one of the top 60 prospects in Boston’s farm system. The 19-year-old reportedly sits between 93-95 mph with his fastball and has featured a slider.

Olds promoted, Olivarez released

In other minor-league news, reliever Wyatt Olds was promoted from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester as a corresponding move for Isiah Campbell landing on the WooSox’ 7-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.

Olds, 24, posted a 5.03 ERA (4.15 FIP) with 74 strikeouts to 30 walks in 26 appearances (one start) spanning 53 2/3 innings for Portland this season. The right-hander was originally selected by the Red Sox in the seventh round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Oklahoma.

The Red Sox also released Helcris Olivarez, who they signed to a minor-league contract in November, from Portland’s roster. A former top prospect of the Rockies, the 23-year-old lefty pitched to a 3.50 ERA (but much more concerning 6.07 FIP) with 47 strikeouts to 50 walks in 14 appearances (five starts) spanning 36 innings for the Sea Dogs in 2024.

(Picture of Gilberto Batista: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez, Noah Dean to High-A Greenville

With Connelly Early and David Sandlin making the jump to Double-A Portland, the Red Sox are promoting pitching prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Noah Dean from Low-A Salem to High-A Greenville, according to reports from SoxProspects.com and MiLB Central’s Chase Ford.

Rodriguez, 20, and Dean, 23, are currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the Nos. 16 and 46 prospects in Boston’s farm system. That ranks fourth and 23rd among pitchers in the organization, respectively.

Rodriguez, who turns 21 next month, has spent parts of the last three seasons with Salem after originally being selected by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2021 amateur draft out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico. To begin the 2024 campaign, the right-hander posted a 2.51 ERA and 2.73 FIP with 73 strikeouts to 25 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 innings of work for Boston’s Carolina League affiliate. Opposing hitters batted just .206 against him.

Listed at a lean 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. As recently noted by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, the lanky righty has seen an uptick in his fastball velocity this season to the point where he is now averaging 95 mph and touching 98 mph with the pitch. He also features an upper-70s curveball, a mid-80s slider, and an upper-80s changeup.

Dean, who turned 23 in March, had been with Salem since making his professional debut last April. The New Jersey native was originally selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2022 amateur draft out of Old Dominion. After struggling to a 6.29 ERA in 2023, Dean kicked off the 2024 season by forging a 3.96 ERA (3.89 FIP) with 86 strikeouts to 31 walks over 15 appearances (13 starts) spanning 61 1/3 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a minuscule .139 batting average.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Dean has overhauled his delivery and now throws from cross-bodied, three-quarters arm slot. The lefty sits between 92-94 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a mid-80s changeup and a slider. SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall noted last month that Dean has relied on his slider more and used his heater less this season, which has resulted in softer contact.

Command and control remain areas of improvement for both Rodriguez and Dean, who are now slated to join a starting rotation mix in Greenville that includes the likes of Hayden Mullins, Dalton Rogers, Yordanny Monegro, Blake Wehunt, and Jedixson Paez.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect Connelly Early to Double-A Portland

In addition to promoting David Sandlin, the Red Sox are also elevating pitching prospect Connelly Early from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, according to Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster.

Early, 22, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The left-hander was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round (151st overall pick) of last year’s draft out of Virginia. He received a $408,500 signing bonus and debuted for Low-A Salem in September.

To begin his first full professional season, Early emerged as a key member of Greenville’s rotation by posting a 3.72 ERA and 3.64 FIP with 90 strikeouts to 24 walks in 15 starts (67 2/3 innings) for the Drive. That translates to a 30.9 percent strikeout rate and an 8.2 percent walk rate. Opposing hitters batted just .208 against him.

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As noted by SoxProspects.com, the lefty operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-93 mph that has touched 95 mph this year, a frequently-used 80-82 mph changeup that is considered to be his best secondary offering, a 79-81 mph curveball, and an 87-88 mph cutter.

In making the jump to Portland, Early will be reunited — for the time being, at least — with his old battery mate at Virginia in top catching prospect Kyle Teel, who could soon be on the receiving end of a promotion to Triple-A Worcester alongside the likes of shortstop Marcelo Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony.

Early and Sandlin, meanwhile, figure to provide support to a Sea Dogs starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks. From a developmental perspective, they will also be challenged with facing more advanced hitting in the upper minors for the first time in their respective careers.

(Picture of Connelly Early: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox to promote pitching prospect David Sandlin to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting pitching prospect David Sandlin from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, per his agent Craig Rose of Paragon Sports International.

Sandlin, 23, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 13 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks third among pitchers in the organization. The right-hander made his 10th start of the season for Greenville in Sunday’s series finale against the Bowling Green Hot Rods at Fluor Field, allowing three earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings. He threw 64 pitches (46 strikes) and induced eight swings-and-misses.

In his 10 outings for the Drive this year, Sandlin posted a 5.12 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 50 strikeouts to 11 walks over 31 2/3 innings. That translates to a strikeout rate of 37.3 percent and a walk rate of 8.2 percent. Opposing hitters batted .254 against him.

Just a few days before celebrating his 23rd birthday back in February, Sandlin was acquired by the Red Sox from the Royals in a spring training trade that sent reliever John Schreiber to Kansas City. The former 2022 11th-round draft selection out of Oklahoma broke camp with Greenville but missed more than a month of action after being placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation in mid-May.

Sandlin returned to the mound on June 15 and had pitched to a 3.95 ERA with 25 strikeouts to just two walks in his last five starts (13 2/3 innings) coming into play on Sunday. In these shorter outings, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty has been touching 99-100 mph with his fastball, according to reports from The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen. He also incorporates a splitter, cutter, slider, and curveball into his arsenal.

In making the jump from Greenville to Portland, Sandlin will be tasked with going up against tougher competition in the Eastern League moving forward. He also figures to provide support to a Sea Dogs’ starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries in recent weeks.

It is not yet known who will be taking Sandlin’s spot in Greenville’s rotation, but left-hander Noah Dean would seem to be a logical choice since he started for Low-A Salem on Sunday and has been on a similar pitching schedule since Sandlin returned from the injured list last month.

(Picture of David Sandlin: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Jojo Ingrassia lands on Low-A Salem’s injured list with elbow inflammation

Red Sox pitching prospect Jojo Ingrassia has been placed on Low-A Salem’s 7-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation, according to the affiliate’s MiLB.com transactions log.

Ingrassia was removed in the fourth inning of his last start against the Down East Wood Ducks on the road at Grainger Stadium this past Sunday. The 21-year-old left-hander was charged with one unearned run on three hits, zero walks, and seven strikeouts across 3 2/3 innings of work.

In 18 appearances (nine starts) for Salem to begin his first full professional season, Ingrassia has posted a 2.03 ERA and 1.94 FIP with a staff-leading 86 strikeouts to 17 walks over 53 1/3 innings. Opponents have batted just .187 against him.

Ingrassia opened the 2024 campaign in Salem’s bullpen and forged a 2.00 ERA (1.27 FIP) with 35 strikeouts to five walks over nine relief appearances (18 innings). Since moving to the Red Sox’ rotation in mid-May, the lefty has pitched to a 2.24 ERA (2.28 FIP) with 51 strikeouts to 12 walks across 35 1/3 innings as a starter.

Among the 56 Carolina League pitchers who entered Friday having accrued at least 50 innings to this point in the year, Ingrassia led the group in strikeouts per nine innings (14.51), strikeout rate (40.4 percent), swinging-strike rate (21.8 percent), FIP, and xFIP (1.91). He also ranked third in ERA, fifth in batting average against, seventh in WHIP (0.99), eighth in groundball rate (50 percent), 17th in walks per nine innings (2.87), and 20th in walk rate (8 percent), per FanGraphs.

Ingrassia, who turns 22 next week, was selected by the Red Sox in the 14th round of last summer’s draft out of Cal State Fullerton. The California native spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at San Diego State before transferring and earning Second Team All-Big West honors with the Titans as a junior. He signed for $150,000 shortly after being drafted but did not make his professional debut until April.

Standing at 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, Ingrassia was recently tabbed by FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen as the No. 37 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 15th among pitchers in the organization. Longenhagen described Ingrassia as a “crafty, diminutive” southpaw who “has a whippy arm stroke that helps him sell his fading mid-80s changeup.”

The Red Sox, Longenhagen notes, have altered Ingrassia’s delivery so that it is now more cross-bodied, which “has aided the effectiveness of [his] sweeping low-80s breaking ball, and he’s also had a [velocity] uptick into the low-90s. Because of the upshot angle of his fastball from his low-ish, cross-bodied slot, his heater plays up even though he doesn’t throw all that hard.”

Ingrassia, Longenhagen adds, “is still getting feel for what it’s like to attack hitters with his fastball at the letters (which he really didn’t do in college). Because of his lack of size, it’s more likely that he ends up being a long reliever in the Ryan Yarbrough mold, but Ingrassia has a starter’s repertoire and command and probably needs to be promoted to be tested.”

Prior to landing on Salem’s injured list, Ingrassia could have been viewed as a possible candidate to receive a promotion to High-A Greenville before the end of the season. Now, he will presumably be shut down from throwing in an effort to reduce the inflammation in his elbow before any next steps are taken.

(Picture of Jojo Ingrassia: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox pitching prospect Connelly Early leads organization in Ks at All-Star break

At the MLB All-Star break, no Red Sox minor-leaguer has recorded more strikeouts to this point in the season than Connelly Early.

Early, Boston’s fifth-round selection in last summer’s draft out of Virginia, has been a key member of High-A Greenville’s starting rotation through the first three-plus months of the 2024 campaign. In a staff-leading 15 starts for the Drive, the 22-year-old left-hander has posted a 3.72 ERA and 3.67 FIP with 90 strikeouts to 24 walks over 67 2/3 innings. Opposing hitters have batted just .208 against him.

Among the 35 pitchers who have worked at least 60 innings in the South Atlantic League this year, Early ranks third in strikeouts per nine innings (11.97), strikeout rate (30.9 percent), swinging-strike rate (15.7 percent), and xFIP (3.33), fourth in groundball rate (51.2 percent), eighth in batting average against, 10th in WHIP (1.14), 11th in FIP, 14th in walks per nine innings (3.19) and walk rate (8.2 percent), and 15th in ERA, per FanGraphs.

A native of Virginia himself, Early spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Army before transferring to UVA as a junior. In his lone season with the Cavaliers, the lefty was recognized as a third-team All-ACC selection. He signed with the Red Sox for $408,500 after being taken with the 151st overall pick last July and made one start for Low-A Salem in September to mark his professional debut.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Early throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a medium-high leg kick into his delivery. As highlighted by SoxProspects.com, he operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a 92-93 mph fastball that has reached 95 mph this season, an 80-82 mph changeup that is considered to be his best secondary offering, a 79-81 mph curveball, and an 87-88 mph cutter.

To that end, Early is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. The publication notes that Early “throws an average amount of strikes and benefits from high chase rates against his changeup and cutter.” It adds that he “has a backend starter’s upside, but is more likely to be reliable rotation depth as an up-and-down option.”

Considering that it has only been a little over a year since he entered the pro ranks, it will be interesting to see if Early — who does not turn 23 until next April — can put himself in position for a promotion to Double-A Portland before the season draws to a close.

(Picture of Connelly Early: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

Who is CJ Weins? Red Sox traded righty with ‘intriguing’ fastball to Tigers on Saturday

The Red Sox dipped into their 2023 draft class in order to make a minor trade with the Tigers over the weekend.

In exchange for minor-league right-hander Trey Wingenter, Boston dealt fellow righty CJ Weins to Detroit on Saturday night. Wingenter, who has three seasons of major-league experience (2018-2019, 2023) between the Padres and Tigers, will likely be added to the Red Sox’ active roster on Tuesday. Weins, meanwhile, switches organizations for the first time less than a full year since entering the professional ranks.

Weins, who turns 24 next month, was selected by the Red Sox in the sixth round of last summer’s draft out of Western Kentucky. As a graduate student who previously attended Wabash Valley College and South Carolina, the Illinois native signed with Boston for a modest $50,000 in late July.

Shortly after putting pen to paper, Weins made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League. He appeared in just one game for the FCL Red Sox, walking one and striking out another in a scoreless inning of relief against the FCL Twins in Fort Myers on August 18.

In October, Weins received some national attention from Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo, who recognized the 23-year-old for having the best fastball in Boston’s 2023 draft class. That fastball, per Collazo, had “been up to 98 mph and generated an extremely high, 39 percent whiff rate with Western Kentucky, thanks in part to unique release traits.”

To begin his first full season in pro ball, Weins broke camp with Low-A Salem this past spring but did not make his first appearance until April 21 after spending some time on the temporary inactive list. Still, in 19 relief outings for the Red Sox, the righty posted a 4.81 ERA and 4.28 FIP with 29 strikeouts to 16 walks over 24 1/3 innings of work. Opposing hitters batted just .211 against him.

Before allowing two runs in last Wednesday’s win over Lynchburg, Weins had pitched to a 1.46 ERA (4.75 FIP) in his last 10 appearances (12 1/3 innings) dating back to May 26. He also converted three of five possible save opportunities in his time with Salem and currently ranks second on the team in that category.

As highlighted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Weins throws from a three-quarters arm slot and puts “considerable” effort into his delivery. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound hurler operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s fastball that has reached 95 mph, an 86-89 mph cutter, and an 80-84 mph slider.

Ian Cundall, SoxProspects.com’s scouting director, wrote on Saturday that Weins’ fastball “has some intriguing traits and missed bats this year.” He also noted that Weins has plus extension and 18 inches of induced vertical break on his heater.

Weins, who was not ranked among Boston’s top 60 prospects by SoxProspects.com, has been assigned to Detroit’s Low-A affiliate in Lakeland, Fla. Nick Green, who spent eight seasons (2015-2022) coaching in the Red Sox organization, currently serves as the Lakeland Flying Tigers’ pitching coach.

It remains to be seen how the Tigers plan on utilizing Weins, but his development as a pitcher moving forward will presumably hinge on his ability to throw strikes more consistently. With that, it will be interesting to see if Weins can make the jump to High-A West Michigan before the 2024 campaign draws to a close.

Weins joins left-hander Ryan Ammons as the second member of the Red Sox’ 2023 draft class to have already been traded by the club. Ammons, a 10th-rounder out of Clemson who also signed for $50,000, was dealt to the Mets in December for Rule 5 selection Justin Slaten. He was recently promoted to New York’s High-A affiliate in Brooklyn.

(Picture of CJ Weins: Gary Streiffer/Flickr)

Red Sox’ Elmer Rodriguez named Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for June

Red Sox pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez has been named the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month for June, Minor League Baseball announced on Wednesday.

Rodriguez, 20, went 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA (2.29 FIP) in four June starts for Salem. The right-hander allowed just two unearned runs on 11 hits and four walks with 19 strikeouts over 20 innings in which he held opposing hitters to a .155 batting average. He struck out nine across a season-high six scoreless frames in his last time out against the Fredericksburg Nationals this past Sunday.

On the 2024 campaign as a whole, Rodriguez has posted a 2.44 FIP and 2.61 FIP with 68 strikeouts to two walks over 13 outings (12 starts) spanning 55 1/3 innings of work for the Red Sox. Opponents are slashing just .205/.282/.267 against him.

Among 45 Carolina League pitchers who had accrued at least 50 innings through Wednesday, Rodriguez ranked fourth in FIP, sixth in strikeouts per nine innings (11.06), seventh in ERA and xFIP (2.91), ninth in strikeout rate (29.1 percent), 11th in batting average against, 12th in groundball rate (47.0 percent), 16th in swinging-strike rate (13.7 percent), and 17th in WHIP (1.16), per FanGraphs.

Rodriguez, who turns 21 next month, has spent parts of three seasons with Salem dating back to August 2022. Compared to last year, in which he forged a 2.61 ERA in 14 starts, the righty has lowered his walk rate by nearly three percent and raised his strikeout rate by almost seven percent. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 16 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fifth among pitchers in the organization.

A former 2021 fourth-round draft selection out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico, Rodriguez now stands at 6-foot-3 and 160 pounds. As noted in his SoxProspects.com scouting report, Rodriguez throws from a three-quarters arm slot and incorporates a high leg kick into his delivery. He operates with a four-pitch mix that consists of a mid-90s fastball that has touched 98 mph this year, a 77-79 mph curveball, an 87-90 mph changeup, and an 85-87 mph slider.

Given the amount of success he has enjoyed at Low-A as of late, it stands to reason that Rodriguez will soon be the recipient of a promotion to High-A Greenville. He is not the only Salem hurler in that boat, but a new challenge featuring more advanced competition could be in store on the other side of the All-Star break later this month.

(Picture of Elmer Rodriguez: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Angel Bastardo likely requires Tommy John surgery

Red Sox pitching prospect Angel Bastardo is likely to require Tommy John surgery, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.

Like fellow right-hander Luis Perales, Bastardo has damage in the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of his throwing elbow. Surgery is viewed as the likely outcome, though the 22-year-old will meet with a doctor before making a final decision.

Bastardo, who just celebrated his 22nd birthday on Tuesday, has been on Double-A Portland’s injured list since June 6. The night prior, he left his start at Hadlock Field in the fourth after crumpling to the ground in pain following the delivery of a pitch. He was initially diagnosed with a sprained UCL, but it appears further imaging and testing revealed a more serious prognosis.

In 10 starts for Portland this season, Bastardo posted a 5.36 ERA and 4.32 FIP with 53 strikeouts to 21 walks over 45 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters batted .225 against him. His 26.6 percent punchout rate ranks 16th among 50 Eastern League pitchers who have thrown at least 40 innings coming into play on Tuesday, per FanGraphs.

Originally signed out of Venezuela for $35,000 in July 2018, Bastardo is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 26 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks eighth among pitchers in the organization. As noted by Speier, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound righty has shown an intriguing fastball that has reached 97-98 mph this year. He also features a swing-and-miss changeup, a curveball, and a slider.

If he does indeed undergo Tommy John surgery, Bastardo would be looking at a lengthy rehab process that would keep him sidelined for the rest of 2024 and most — if not all — of 2025. An internal bracing procedure to repair the damaged UCL would have a faster recovery timeline but would still necessitate a lengthy absence.

Unlike Perales, who is slated to visit Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham, Ala. next week, Bastardo is not on the Red Sox’ 40-man roster. He can, however, become a minor-league free agent at the end of the 2025 season, so the timing of all this is far from ideal.

(Picture of Angel Bastardo: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)