The Red Sox will have a chance this weekend to see firsthand what they walked away from.
Francisco Rodriguez is now a member of the Orioles’ bullpen, but the Red Sox reportedly had discussions with Milwaukee regarding the veteran reliever before he was moved to Baltimore. According to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier, the Red Sox talked to the Brewers about K-Rod, but they ultimately determined that the cost of acquiring the right-hander was too high.
Rodriguez ended up getting shipped to Baltimore in exchange for 21-year-old prospect Nick Delmonico. Delmonico, who was ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the Orioles system by Baseball America before the season, could turn out to be an everyday corner infielder. Speier says that while it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, Delmonico has roughly the same value as someone like Deven Marrero (currently playing at High-A Salem in the Red Sox system), who has also has the ceiling of a solid everyday player.
Rodriguez is putting together a good season, and he should bolster Baltimore’s bullpen. The 31-year-old has a 1.40 ERA in 25 2/3 innings over 26 appearances, and he even saved 10 games for the Brewers. K-Rod is a free agent after this season, though, so acquiring him could be a two-month rental, which is something that the Red Sox apparently weren’t willing to overpay for.
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