A standard chorus in baseball is you can by no means have sufficient pitching, and that doesn’t apply solely to starters. A well-stocked bullpen may be simply as essential to a membership, which is why quite a lot of contenders dealt for relievers because the commerce deadline approached. Two such golf equipment have been the Boston Crimson Sox, who acquired Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds and Luis Garcia from the Los Angeles Angels, and the New York Yankees, who acquired Mark Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs and Enyel De Los Santos from the San Diego Padres.
Let’s take a look at two of these offers — the trades for Garcia and De Los Santos can be coated in one other submit — starting with Boston getting Sims in change for 19-year-old pitching prospect Ovis Portes.
With setup males Chris Martin and Justin Slaten each on the injured listing — their return dates are unsure — the Crimson Sox have been badly in want of confirmed bullpen arms. Late-inning implosions contributed closely to the crew’s shedding seven of 10 video games popping out of the All-Star break, with Chase Anderson, Bailey Horn, and Greg Weissert among the many pitchers of file within the defeats. Once you’re battling for a Wild Card berth, these aren’t preferrred choices for high-leverage conditions.
Because the begin of final season, the 30-year-old Sims has made 110 appearances — twentieth most within the majors — and allowed simply 63 hits whereas logging a 3.27 ERA over 96 1/3 innings. This season, the righty has posted a 3.57 ERA in 43 video games (35 1/3 innings), however his underlying numbers usually are not as encouraging; he has a 4.11 xERA, a 4.88 FIP, and a 4.79 xFIP. Command has been a problem for Sims; his 13.0% stroll charge this season is down from final 12 months’s 15.1% mark, although it’s nonetheless not good. His strikeout charge, then again, is a wholesome 26.0%, and all in all he represents an improve to what has been a bullpen in misery. As Boston supervisor Alex Cora put it, “Good slider. Good cutter. We want arms. He’ll be a part of the late-innings combine.”
With Kenley Jansen serving as nearer, Martin and Slaten on faucet to return, Liam Hendriks a chance to make his Crimson Sox debut someday earlier than the season ends, Brennan Bernardino offering high quality innings from the left aspect, plus Sims and Garcia becoming a member of the combo, Boston’s bullpen may very effectively be a energy over the ultimate two months of the marketing campaign.
As for what the Crimson Sox gave as much as purchase Sims, right here is our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen on the 35+ FV Portes, the most recent addition to the Cincinnati Reds group:
Portes was one of many harder-throwing children within the Crimson Sox system. He’s been as much as 98 mph and is sitting 93-96 for complete begins. That was too scorching for the FCL to deal with and Portes was promoted to Salem, the place he was not too long ago sitting 95-97 for the majority of begins. He’s been working about three innings per outing, utilizing his fastball and slider virtually solely and fighting walks. Portes has a really brief arm motion however continues to be having hassle discovering a constant launch, as his heater scatters far and wide and his slider’s high quality is inconsistent. When he’s working at his finest, he creates rise/run angle in on the palms of righties after which bends his two-planed upper-70s slurve away from them. His supply lacks the fluidity you need with the intention to venture changeup progress, and that, plus his uncooked really feel for location, pushes Portes towards the reduction bucket. He slots in towards the underside of the Reds’ prospect listing as an thrilling developmental reliever.
The Yankees’ acquisition of Leiter Jr. from the Chicago Cubs in change for Ben Cowles, a 35+ FV center infielder, and 40 FV righty reliever Jack Neely was based mostly on an analogous want. The Aaron Boone-managed membership additionally has relievers on the injured listing, whereas others, such because the just-traded Caleb Ferguson, have underperformed expectations. Outdoors of Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver, and Tommy Kahnle, the Yankees have lacked dependable reduction arms. Extra depth was wanted.
Essentially the most regarding a part of their bullpen has been its lack of ability to generate swings-and-misses. That is the place Leiter actually shines, with a 34.9% strikeout charge that ranked fifth amongst NL relievers on the time of the commerce. Yankees relievers entered play Tuesday with a 23.0% strikeout charge, which ranked seventeenth within the majors. Leiter had a 4.21 ERA throughout 39 video games (36 1/3 innings) with the Cubs this season, however his peripherals have been significantly better: 2.61 xERA, 2.11 FIP, 2.43 xFIP.
The Yankees wasted no time getting Leiter acclimated. Yesterday, not lengthy after getting traded, the 33-year-old righty flew from Cincinnati, the place the Cubs have been taking part in, to satisfy his new crew in Philadelphia. Then, he was introduced right into a 6-6 recreation within the tenth inning, and though the Phillies loaded the bases, Leiter escaped with out permitting a run. The Yankees gained, 7-6, in 12 innings.
Additionally of word is that Leiter Jr. is the third member of his household to pitch for the Yankees, becoming a member of his father, Mark Leiter Sr., and uncle, Al Leiter.
Right here’s what Eric needed to say in regards to the two prospects heading to the Cubs:
Jack Neely is a big man who hopped round to a a number of faculties (Texas, San Jacinto, Iowa Western, Ohio State) earlier than professional ball. He has been deployed solely as a reliever in professional ball and has posted double-digit strikeouts per 9 IP up the complete minor league ladder, culminating in a 2024 during which he reached Triple-A and led full-season Yankees pitchers in swinging strike charge at a whopping 20.2%. He’s sitting 94-98 with plus vertical break with practically good backspinning form despite the fact that he releases from extra of a three-quarters slot. He additionally has an 84-88 mph bullet-style slider that’s producing an elite charge of swing-and-miss. Per Synergy, Neely’s slider has a 54% miss charge and 42% chase charge as of the commerce. He’s saved his walks below management for many of the final two seasons and initiatives as a normal middle-inning possibility.
Cowles’ Double-A numbers are nice, however his underlying knowledge is extra common and really feel a bit of worse than that when considered along with his age in thoughts (he’s 24). All of Cowles’ offensive instruments are hovering within the 40- or 45-grade vary however he’s a good shortstop defender (his arm is a bit of brief, however the remainder of his abilities are a match everywhere in the infield) and well-built athlete. His 140 wRC+ is a caricature created by the offensive surroundings on the Yankees’ Somerset affiliate, however Cowles continues to be going to be an appropriate bench infielder.
