Hours after the Yankees made a move to shore up their bullpen, the Red Sox responded Wednesday with a rotation upgrade.
Boston acquired right-hander Nathan Eovaldi from Tampa Bay for minor league lefty Jalen Beeks, the teams announced. Eovaldi had been scheduled to start Wednesday afternoon for the Rays against the Yankees.
The #RedSox today acquired RHP Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor league LHP Jalen Beeks.
— Boston Red Sox (@RedSox) July 25, 2018
Some had mentioned Eovaldi as a possibility to return to New York, where he pitched in 2015-16 — especially considering the Yankees' rotation needs would appear more urgent than Boston's. But the Red Sox made a move to bolster their depth, if nothing else, while keeping a potential key addition away from their AL East pursuer a day after the Yankees acquired Orioles closer Zach Britton.
Eovaldi, 28, has a 4.26 ERA in 10 starts for the Rays this season, walking just eight while striking out 53 in 57 innings. He missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery to fix an elbow injury incurred while pitching for the Yankees in August 2016.
Beeks, 24, has made two appearances for Boston this year but spent most of the season at Triple-A Pawtucket, where he has a 2.89 ERA and has fanned 117 in 87 1/3 innings.
