Red Sox Reportedly Acquires Pitching Help; Shuffle Bullpen

Following the Boston Red Sox’s 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, the team went to the trade market to acquire some bullpen help.

Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow swung a deal with the Minnesota Twins, acquiring right-handed reliever Jorge Alcala in exchange for Andy Lugo, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo.

Alcala currently owns an 8.88 ERA over 24 1/3 innings this season. While he hasn’t been a lockdown reliever this season, he’s had success in the past. His 2024 campaign included a 3.24 ERA and 24.7% strikeout rate.

Strike throwing has been an issue for Alcala this season. He’s walked 13.2% of the hitters he’s faced. That’s in part due to some regression with his slider; the swinging strike rate has dropped almost 10% from last year, leading to more walks. He’s also seen the pitch float up more often this season and allowed hard contact as a result.

The righty will add power to the Red Sox bullpen; his fastball averages 97.1 mph and misses bats at a high rate. He also added a curveball that opponents have hit just .143 against thus far this season, although it’s fair to wonder if adding the curveball has affected his slider. Sometimes, pitchers will have issues throwing two similar pitches and see them blend, limiting their effectiveness. Perhaps going back to a single breaking ball could help Alcala finish at-bats.

Pitching coach Andrew Bailey will have his work cut out for him, but Alcala’s previous success shows he has the potential to be a useful piece in the bullpen. He likely won’t work high-leverage innings until he’s proven himself reliable.

Alcala is under team control through 2026 and is out of minor league options and will require a 40-man roster spot.

It’s a low-risk move for Boston, which sent Andy Lugo to Minnesota. Lugo has both corner infield spots as well as some outfield this season with High-A Salem. The prospect isn’t listed in the club’s top 30 on MLB Pipeline.

Boston designated relief pitcher Brian Van Belle for assignment to create room on the active roster.