Red Sox Bolster Bullpen, Add Reliever In Trade With Twins

The Boston Red Sox stayed busy on Christmas Eve with a trade with the Minnesota Twins.

Boston acquired left-handed relief pitcher Jovani Morán in exchange for infielder Mickey Gasper, per a team release.

Morán missed the 2024 campaign after Tommy John surgery and posted a 4.15 ERA in three seasons with the Twins. The lefty does have numbers that the Red Sox should believe in with a career 2.86 FIP and 11 strikeouts per nine innings in his three-year MLB career.

Gasper served as a depth option between the minor leagues and the big leagues for the Red Sox. The 29-year-old played 13 games for Boston in 2024.

The Red Sox added left-handed relief help this winter after signing Justin Wilson and Aroldis Chapman, so Morán could stay in Triple-A Worcester to start the season and eventually work his way into a depth role for Alex Cora’s pitching staff.

The trade opens up a spot on the 40-man roster, which could be filled upon the finalization of Walker Buehler’s reported deal with the Red Sox. Craig Breslow clearly has an emphasis on further boosting his in-house pitching development pipeline with intentional additions to improve the ballclub in 2025.