Ex-Red Sox Trade Piece Involved In Notable AL East Roster Move

Jalen Beeks, the pitcher the Boston Red Sox traded for Nathan Eovaldi back in 2018, has been demoted by the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays on Wednesday optioned Beeks to Triple-A Durham, a corresponding roster move for activating fellow hurler Zack Littell from the 15-day injured list.

Littell, interestingly enough, is a former Red Sox pitcher in his own right, appearing in two games with Boston this season before being selected off waivers by Tampa Bay last month.

Beeks’ demotion is notable in that it’s the first time he’s been sent to the minors since 2019. The left-hander missed the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but he otherwise was a decent piece of the Rays’ pitching staff in recent years. He posted a 2.91 ERA, a 3.08 FIP, a 1.195 WHIP and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings across 54 appearances (80 1/3 innings) between 2020 and 2022.

To describe the Red Sox’s 2018 trade involving Beeks as a success would be an understatement, as Eovaldi had a productive five-year run in Boston before signing with the Texas Rangers in free agency this past offseason. Eovaldi, of course, was a huge part of the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series win and started three straight Opening Days for Boston from 2020 to 2022.

Beeks, at the time of the one-for-one swap, was a prospect with two big league appearances under his belt for Boston. Eovaldi was an oft-injured veteran starter on the cusp of reaching the open market. In essence, it proved a win-win.

Now, Beeks will need to regain his form at Triple-A before receiving another opportunity with Tampa Bay. The 29-year-old owns a 5.82 ERA in 25 appearances (34 innings) with the Rays this season.