Red Sox Prospect From Andrew Benintendi Trade Earns Promotion

Grant Gambrell was just a player to be named later in 2021 when the Boston Red Sox acquired him from the Kansas City Royals in the deal for Andrew Benintendi.

But the right-handed pitcher is making a name for himself now in the Red Sox organization and received a promotion Thursday.

The Red Sox called up Gambrell to Triple-A Worcester after he showed well over 15 starts this season with Double-A Portland. The 25-year-old posted a 6-3 record with the Sea Dogs, to go along with a 3.42 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He also struck out 84 batters in 84 1/3 innings while holding opponents to a .227 batting average.

It hasn’t been an easy road to this point for Gambrell, though. He missed all of the 2022 season after having multiple surgeries to remove a benign tumor in his heel. He didn’t pitch in the 2020 season, either, with the COVID-19 pandemic shuttering the minor league season.

Gambrell was one of five players the Red Sox ended up receiving when they dealt away Benintendi. Two of those players are no longer with the organization, with the Red Sox parting ways with Franchy Cordero and Freddy Valdez.

Josh Winckowski is the most valuable piece the Red Sox got back in return for Benintendi, as he has turned into an impact arm in Boston’s bullpen this season. The Red Sox also got pitching prospect Luis De La Rosa in the trade and the 21-year-old currently is with Single-A Salem.

Benintendi now is with his third team since the trade, playing for the Chicago White Sox this year after being dealt at last year’s trade deadline to the New York Yankees. The former Red Sox outfielder is batting .276 with three home runs and 35 RBIs in 119 games with the White Sox.