The Boston Red Sox needed a starter, and they just got one. On Thursday, the team traded one of its top prospects, Anderson Espinoza, to the San Diego Padres for starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz, along with Oakland Athletics starter Rich Hill, has long been rumored as one of Boston’s top trade targets. Today, those rumors proved true.
Source: Espinoza is going to the Padres as at least part of the trade for Drew Pomeranz.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) July 14, 2016
Red Sox Get Drew Pomeranz from San Diego Padres
In Pomeranz, the Red Sox get a resurgent player in the midst of a fantastic season. The 27-year-old lefty began his Major League career with the Colorado Rockies in 2011, and spent three forgettable seasons pitching at Coors Field. In 2014, he joined the A’s. In his first season in Oakland, finally out of the thin air of Denver, Pomeranz breathed new life into his career. He recorded a 2.35 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP across twenty appearances, ten as a starter. That season, Pomeranz owned a 1.5 WAR.
He regressed slightly in 2015, posting a 3.66 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over eighty-six innings, but has been fantastic this season. By the end of the second half, Pomeranz had clearly established himself as the ace of the Padres staff. He owned a 2.47 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP across seventeen starts, good for a 3.0 WAR. He also racked up 115 strikeouts in 102 innings on his way to the first All-Star appearance of his career.
The addition of Pomeranz could be the final key to making the Red Sox legitimate title contenders this year. It could also pay dividends in the future, as Pomeranz is young and under team control through 2019.
However, they paid a hefty price for him. Prior to the season, Espinoza was ranked as the 14th-best prospect in baseball, and the 3rd-best in the Red Sox farm system. Though he had been struggling at Single-A Greenville (27 walks, 4.38 ERA in 17 starts), the 18-year-old had drawn comparisons to former Red Sox great Pedro Martinez.
Benintendi at No. 3, Moncada at No. 5, Devers at No. 7, Espinoza at No. 14, Kopech at No. 45. Insane. https://t.co/paWdouxFWB
— Joon Lee (@iamjoonlee) July 14, 2016
The Red Sox have a deep farm system and are equipped to handle such a loss. If Pomeranz helps bring a title this season, it will have been worth it.
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