Pair Of Ex-Red Sox Hurlers Could Be Traded According To Recent Speculation

Boston's fanbase will recognize some players in the trade market

Scott Neville | May 30, 2024

Apr 13, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jake Diekman (31) walks to the dugout after getting pulled out of the game during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports / Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are still in the process of determining what path they will take at the upcoming Major League Baseball trade deadline while opposing clubs have truly cemented themselves on one side of the fence.

One team that appears to be squarely in the selling conversation is the New York Mets -- who are in line to ship off a pair of former Red Sox relievers on short-term deals.

"The Mets could be a one-stop shop for contenders for relief pitching," ESPN's Buster Olney wrote Tuesday. "(Jorge) López is playing for $2 million this year; the lefty (Jake) Diekman is making $4 million this year, and his deal with the Mets contains a $1 million buyout of a $4 million team option for 2025; (Adam) Ottavino is making $4.5 million."

Ottavino was apart of the last Red Sox team to make the postseason and has the most pedigree of the aformentioned trio.

The 38-year-old has a 3.86 ERA with a 29-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .215 batting average against and a 1.14 WHIP in 21 innings this season as of Wednesday afternoon. His 2.89 FIP is more in line with his 2.79 ERA since leaving Boston for New York -- a span of 153 games across three campaigns.

Diekman has posted a 3.71 ERA with a 24-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .164 batting average against and a 1.35 WHIP in 17 innings.

The 37-year-old southpaw saw middling results in Boston in 2022 and has been sporadic since his departure. Diekman was a total bust for the Chicago White Sox (7.04 ERA in 39 games) -- especially given that fact that they gave up catcher Reese McGuire to bring him in.

As is tradition, the hard-throwing lefty was scooped up by the Tampa Bay Rays and became a dominant reliever almost immeidately, posting a 2.18 ERA in 50 appearences to end his 2023 campaign.

Now he's proving to be a middling trade chip for the Mets, who could end up dealing both former Red Sox relievers prior to the July 30 deadline.

The Red Sox likely would not have much interest in either hurler should they remain in postseason contention into the summer but they will garner attention should New York put them on the market.

More MLB: Red Sox Breakout Star Could Be Traded To Dodgers After Stellar Start

Published May 30, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu