Podcast Ep #393: Time to Change the Password

Ian Cundall and Mike Andrews are back to break down the latest big Red Sox trade of Jhostynxon Garcia and Jesus Travieso for Johan Oviedo and two minor leaguers. They covered all angles of the trade including why Oviedo is so intriguing, who are the minor leaguers the Red Sox are getting back and most importantly, it qualifies as a good piece of business. After that they briefly discussed the latest Red Sox front office move and then wrapped up the show with a deep dive into the end of season rankings!

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Fall/Winter League Roundup: Red Sox acquire Gray; Campbell, Garcia to play in winter leagues

Before the hot stove began to slow for Thanksgiving, Red Sox fans got a jolt of excitement. The Red Sox made their first major addition of the winter, acquiring Sonny Gray in a trade with the Cardinals. Meanwhile, the winter league season rolled along, as Red Sox minor leaguers saw action in three separate winter leagues. This week's roundup covers all the news and action from November 24-November 30. Stats for participating Red Sox players can be found at the SoxProspects.com Fall & Winter Leagues page. 

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Red Sox trade for Sonny Gray

After making several minor trades to finalize their 40-man roster in advance of the Rule 5 draft, the Red Sox made their first big splash of the offseason last Tuesday. The Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Sonny Gray and cash considerations (approximately $20 million) from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for right-hander Richard Fitts and left-hander Brandon Clarke. Gray is coming off a season where he pitched to a 4.28 ERA in 180 2/3 innings and led the major leagues with a 5.29 K/BB ratio. The Red Sox traded a pair of promising pitchers to St. Louis in return. Fitts had a 5.00 ERA in 45 innings for the Red Sox last season, making a couple of stints on the IL with a pectoral strain and right arm neuritis. Fitts was originally acquired from the Yankees in December 2023 and he projects as a back-end starter or multi-inning reliever. Clarke was one of the breakout players in the Red Sox system last season, rising from 18th in the season-opening rankings to 8th in the most recent rankings update. He struck out 60 batters and delivered a 4.03 ERA in 38 innings between Salem and Greenville last season. Clarke's calling card is his elite fastball velocity and wipeout slider but the lack of a consistent third pitch and control struggles have potential to push him to the bullpen in the long term. On the latest episode of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Chris and Ian reacted to the trade and discussed next steps for the Red Sox offseason. 

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