One of the best starting pitchers on the trade market is now off the board. The Boston Red Sox have acquired Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Boston is sending left-handed pitching prospect Jalen Beens to the Rays in exchange for Eovaldi. The 28-year-old righty was scheduled to start Wednesday but scratched when the deal was made.
Official: #RedSox get Eovaldi for LHP Jalen Beeks.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2018
Eovaldi has been solid this season for Tampa Bay. In 10 starts, he has a 0.98 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and a .225 batting average allowed to opponents. While his 4.26 ERA is fairly high, he should provide decent innings as a back-end starter for Boston.
This is a quality return for the Rays. After signing Eovaldi in February 2017 following his second Tommy John surgery, Tampa Bay helped him rehab and get back on the mound.
They flipped the impending free agent for Boston’s No. 15 overall prospect, according to MLB.com. Beeks, a 25-year-old southpaw, has excelled at Triple-A Pawtucket this season with a 2.89 ERA, .215 BAA and 117 strikeouts in 87.1 innings pitched.
He appeared in two games for Boston this season but struggled with nine runs allowed in 6.1 innings. Now Tampa Bay adds an intriguing lefty who could become a back-end starter for them for years to come.