Apr 29, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Red Sox logo and a field bag during batting practice before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Red Sox Promote 6-Year MLB Veteran For Season Finale

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 12:50 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox made a last-second move for the 2025 Major League Baseball regular season finale.

Boston has just one game left and will face off against the Detroit Tigers with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET from Fenway Park. Before the final matchup of the season, the Red Sox reportedly made a move to give itself more pitching depth. MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo shared that the Red Sox are promoting veteran hurler José De León and demoting Chris Murphy in the process.

The Red Sox made a move

"Veteran righty José De León called up to the Red Sox. He could pitch today. Chris Murphy optioned to the WooSox," Cotillo said.

At this point, it's more important to get through Sunday's game healthy than anything else. The Red Sox are already in the playoffs. Adding a guy, like De León, with plenty of experience to potentially help eat up innings could help the team stay fresh. The Red Sox are going to begin their playoff run on Tuesday. De León is a six-year big league veteran who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2023 and doesn't figure into the playoff roster mix. He pitched in 22 games for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox this season and had a 6.93 ERA. At this point, he's a right-handed option to help get through on Sunday.

He has pitched in the majors for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, and the Minnesota Twins throughout his career to this point. The final game of the season is important as Boston doesn't know yet who it will face on Tuesday. The Red Sox are either going to face the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, or Cleveland Guardians depending on how things shake out for the the club on Sunday.

Boston is promoting De León to get the final start of the season. That's a clear sign that the Red Sox are going to try to win on Sunday, obviously, but aren't necessarily going all out for the game.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: