The Red Sox have traded right-hander Connor Seabold to the Rockies in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, the club announced earlier Tuesday afternoon.
Seabold, 26, was designated for assignment last Thursday so that the Red Sox could clear a spot on their 40-man roster for newly-signed veteran starter Corey Kluber.
Boston originally acquired Seabold from the Phillies alongside fellow righty Nick Pivetta in the August 2020 trade that sent relievers Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to Philadelphia. The California native had been regarded as one of the better pitching prospects in the Red Sox farm system and had served as upper-minors rotation depth for the better part of the last two seasons.
In 11 starts for Triple-A Worcester in 2021, Seabold posted a 3.50 ERA with 52 strikeouts to 19 walks over 54 innings of work. He followed that up by forging a 3.32 ERA with 89 punchouts to 19 walks across 19 starts (86 2/3 innings) for the WooSox in 2022.
Unfortunately, the success Seabold has enjoyed at the Triple-A level has yet to carry over to the major-leagues. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound hurler lasted just three innings in his big-league debut against the White Sox in September 2021 and then allowed a total of 23 earned runs in 18 1/3 frames (11.29 ERA in five starts) for the Red Sox last year.
All told, Seabold owns a lifetime 10.55 ERA and 6.82 FIP in six career major-league outings (21 1/3 innings). He has, however, been marred by injuries (right elbow inflammation, pectoral strain, right forearm extensor strain) in each of the last two seasons, which has likely played a role in his four-seam fastball hovering in the low-90s in the majors as opposed to the mid-90s when he was a member of the Phillies organization.
With the addition of Kluber, the Red Sox have further bolstered a starting rotation mix that already includes Pivetta, Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, Jamex Paxton, and Tanner Houck. While those seven will likely be contending for spots in Boston’s Opening Day rotation, the likes of Josh Winckowski, Kutter Crawford, Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, and Brandon Walter will presumably start the year at Triple-A, meaning Seabold only became more expandable.
Seabold, who turns 27 later this month, will now look to capitalize on a new opportunity with the Rockies. He still has one minor-league option remaining, so Colorado would be able to send Seabold to the minors without first exposing him to waivers.
Regardless of how he fares with the Rockies, though, Seabold becomes the latest member of the 2022 Red Sox to be lopped off the 40-man roster this winter and join a new organization after the fact. Most notably, Eduard Bazardo, Franchy Cordero, and Darwinzon Hernandez have all ended up with the Orioles while Tyler Danish signed a minor-league deal with the Yankees. Jeter Downs was claimed off waivers by the Nationals and Eric Hosmer has inked a one-year contract with the Cubs.
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