Anthony Ranaudo promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket

Two days after left-hander Henry Owens was promoted to the Portland Sea Dogs, the farm system is starting to see a bit of a chain reaction. The Pawtucket Red Sox announced on Twitter that Anthony Ranaudo, a 6-foot-7, 230-pound righty, will join the team and make his Triple-A debut Monday when the PawSox visit the Buffalo Bisons (TOR).

Ranaudo, who will turn 24 in September, has spent the entire season thus far in Double-A, earning bids in the Futures Game and Eastern League All-Star Game along the way. He led the league in both WHIP (1.09) and batting average against (.204) while also posting an impressive 2.95 ERA and 8.7 K/9 rate.

The strong four months has helped lead to Ranaudo's jump from No. 13 to No. 7 in the SoxProspect.com rankings.

The promotion comes at a somewhat odd time, however, with Ranaudo struggling statistically a bit since rough performances in the mid-July exhibitions. He 18 2/3 inning spanning three starts, he owns a 4.34 ERA and 1.34 WHIP while 

Ranaudo is the third starting pitching prospect to be promoted to Pawtucket in the last two months after Portland opened the 2013 with what was considered one of the most talented rotations around — Ranaudo, Brandon Workman, Drake Britton and Matt Barnes. Workman and Britton, of course, have already contributed to the major league team, while Barnes is having a solid season (11.5 K/9, 3.05 K/BB) and remains with the Sea Dogs.

Chris Hernandez was sent to Portland as the countermove. A 24-year-old southpaw, Hernandez has pitched both in the rotation and out of the bullpen for the PawSox this season, but has put up a 5.72 ERA and 1.77 WHIP.

Photo credit: Anthony Ranaudo by Kelly O'Connor.

Tim Healey is a staff writer for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @timbhealey.

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