Have you ever seen something that just seemed perfect?
Maybe it was a dozen doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts, a half court shot or something else, but perfection is out there--and the Boston Red Sox exemplified it this week--via trade.
So, by now, you must know the Red Sox got Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jalen Beeks. Eovaldi isn’t exactly a star pitcher, but it was the perfect trade to fill the Red Sox need. Here’s why.
With Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright both on the disabled list at the moment and Drew Pomeranz pitching like he is, the Red Sox definitely needed a No. 5 starter at the trade deadline. This is a void that Eovaldi can fill. After all, he has a 4.26 ERA this season which is inflated by one atrocious outing against the Twins (if you’re gonna lose, might as well lose big, right?).
And yes, to answer the question, this is the same Eovaldi who pitched for the New York Yankees for two seasons. That’s good because we know he can pitch in a big market (like Boston or New York).
On the other hand, Beeks really didn’t have a place in Boston. He had two shaky (to be nice about it) outings for the big league club this season. Sure, his stuff plays well in Triple-A and he could maybe do something in the big leagues with a little more seasoning, but remember: the Red Sox don’t develop starting pitchers. They’re better with position players in terms of the prospect game.
Maybe this will also make the Red Sox put Drew Pomeranz in the bullpen at some point because he should not be allowed to stay in the rotation. Regardless, the focus now, after applauding this deal, should be on a left-handed reliever.