Red Sox add bullpen depth in trades for Sims, Garc¨ªa
Ian Browne
@IanMBrowneBOSTON -- A Red Sox bullpen that has been hit hard while being undermanned since the All-Star break added two key pieces on Tuesday. Boston first acquired righty Lucas Sims from the Reds in exchange for Minor League righty Ovis Portes, and then added right-hander Luis García from the Angels in exchange for four prospects right at the 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline.
Garc¨ªa was having a solid season for the Angels with a 3.71 ERA in 45 relief appearances. He made 60-plus appearances in each of the previous two seasons for San Diego and has some experience closing games. Boston sent infielder/outfielder Matthew Lugo (Red Sox's No. 17 prospect), right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn, infielder Niko Kavadas and right-hander Yeferson Vargas to Los Angeles.
The 30-year-old Sims will give manager Alex Cora another option in the mid-to-late innings. An eight-year veteran, Sims is having a solid season, notching a 3.57 ERA in 43 appearances for the Reds, including 40 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings.
TRADE DETAILS
Red Sox receive: RHP Lucas Sims
Reds receive: Single-A RHP Ovis Portes
Red Sox receive: RHP Luis Garc¨ªa
Angels receive: INF/OF Matthew Lugo (BOS No. 17 prospect), RHP Ryan Zeferjahn, INF Niko Kavadas and RHP Yeferson Vargas
Of late, Sims has been rolling, holding the opposition scoreless in 12 of his past 14 appearances during which he¡¯s allowed a total of three runs -- and no homers -- since June 22.
Sims had been with the Reds since 2018.
¡°I¡¯m a little sad, but also very excited to join such a storied franchise like Boston and go there and help them win ballgames and try to win a ring,¡± Sims told the media in Cincinnati. ¡°With the sad comes the excitement. It¡¯s nice to feel wanted. Another organization wants you and thinks I can come and help them win a ring.
¡°It¡¯s a very storied franchise, a great city. I get to go play at Fenway Park, it¡¯s kind of one of my favorite places to play. I get to call that home for the next two months or so, and hopefully through October.¡±
Sims will be part of the bridge to closer Kenley Jansen, who has converted 20 of 23 saves this season, with two of the blown saves coming since the All-Star break.
¡°Good slider, good cutter,¡± Cora said. ¡°We need arms. We've been talking about this for a while. I think we've got a good one.¡±
Sims is expected to be activated for Wednesday¡¯s finale of this three-game series against the Mariners.
The Red Sox like the under-the-hood numbers Sims has produced, as he¡¯s in MLB¡¯s 95th percentile in average exit velocity (86.1 MPH), as well as the 74th percentile in strikeout rate (26.0%).
Since the start of the 2019 season, Sims has held opponents to a .190 batting average, the Majors¡¯ seventh-lowest mark among pitchers with at least 200 innings in that span.
The Sox have an MLB-worst 8.51 ERA in the bullpen in their first 10 games after the All-Star break. During that span, the bullpen also ranks last in WHIP (2.16) while allowing 55 hits and 25 walks in 37 innings. The .331 batting average against Boston¡¯s bullpen since the break is last in MLB.
Overall, Boston's pitching staff has an MLB-worst 6.75 ERA since the All-Star break.
The Red Sox started strong in the bullpen this season but have had a hard time weathering two key setup men -- Chris Martin and Justin Slaten -- being on the injured list at the same time with right elbow woes.
Martin is expected to start throwing off a mound on Wednesday, which means his return might not be too far off. Slaten, the Rule 5 rookie who sparkled before he was placed on the IL just before the All-Star break, is still limited to flat ground.
Portes, who's 19 and signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2022, is 2-1 this season with two saves and a 2.12 ERA in 11 appearances (five starts) between Rookie ball and Single-A, with 41 strikeouts in 34 innings.
To make room for Sims on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated lefty Brandon Walter for assignment.
While the additions of Sims and Garc¨ªa were the first moves Craig Breslow made on Trade Deadline day, Boston¡¯s first-year leader of the front office has been busy in the days leading up to Tuesday.
On Friday, the Sox acquired lefty starter James Paxton from the Dodgers for Minor League infielder Moises Bolivar. Paxton, who pitched for the Sox in ¡¯23, will mark his return to Boston by starting Tuesday night¡¯s game against the Mariners.
The Sox got a right-handed bat in Danny Jansen on Saturday, packaging three Minor Leaguers (Cutter Coffey, Eddinson Paulino and Gilberto Batista) to acquire the veteran catcher from the Blue Jays.
Breslow acquired promising 23-year-old righty Quinn Priester from the Pirates for infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke, who was Boston¡¯s No. 6 prospect at the time of the trade. Priester was assigned to Triple-A Worcester upon completion of the trade but could factor into Boston¡¯s rotation or bullpen at some point this season.