The
Red Sox acquired former
Cubs minor leaguer
Jermaine Van Buren this week for the obligatory player to be named later and/or cash. The move provides the Sox with the additional bullpen depth that the Sox have been looking to shore up since the end of last season. Van Buren, 25, a former starting pitching prospect before he was converted to a reliever in 2004, was named the Cubs Triple-A Pitcher of the Year last season, after posting a sparkling 1.98 ERA with 25 saves. That performance earned him a call up to Chicago in late-August, where he went 0-2 and sported a 3.00 ERA in six appearances. Van Buren is expected to compete for a spot in the Boston bullpen in 2006.
