Chicago acquired Boston's 2022 Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Year in a trade.
The Chicago White Sox struck a deal Friday with the Boston Red Sox. The teams exchanged pitchers in the agreement, with the White Sox acquiring Franklin German and the Red Sox receiving Theo Denlinger.
Chicago designated right-hander Jason Bilous for assignment to make room for German on the 40-man roster. The Red Sox designated German for assignment on Jan. 30 to make room on their 40-man roster after acquiring Richard Bleier from the Miami Marlins.
Who is Franklin German?
The New York Yankees selected German from the University of North Florida in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. The Queens, New York native shipped out to Boston as part of the Adam Ottavino trade in 2021.
After three years in affiliated baseball, German had a breakout season across two minor league levels in 2022. Boston moved him into a relief role for the first time in his career, and he thrived. The 25-year-old earned Red Sox Minor League Relief Pitcher of the year honors with a 2.72 ERA, seven saves, 64 strikeouts in 43 relief appearances.
The Red Sox selected his contract from Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 17. Unfortunately, German's first cup of coffee in the majors was a bitter one. He surrendered eight earned runs in four innings despite averaging 97.7 MPH on his fastball.
What's On Tap Next?
Nevertheless, Franklin German showed promise last year in his first full season of bullpen work. Chicago White Sox pitchers suffered a litany of injuries in 2022, making quality depth a necessity moving forward. Furthermore, closer Liam Hendriks announced his cancer diagnosis last month, and the South Siders will address his absence internally.
It's widely believed that Reynaldo Lopez will take over the closer role, and the Sox need options to backfill Lopez's seventh- and eighth-inning roles. German will have the opportunity to prove himself at Spring training in Glendale, Arizona, when pitchers and catchers report in 12 days.
More must-reads: