Red Sox acquire RHP Brewer, put 5 on 40-man
BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox today made the following roster moves:
• The club acquired right-handed pitcher Colten Brewer from the San Diego Padres in exchange for minor league infielder Esteban Quiroz.
• The club has also requested unconditional release waivers on right-handed pitcher William Cuevas, who is expected to sign with the KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization.
• Right-handed pitcher Austin Maddox was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket.
• Infielder Michael Chavis, right-handed pitcher Travis Lakins, and left-handed pitcher Josh Taylor were added to the major league roster from Pawtucket.
• Left-handed pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez was added to the major league roster from Double-A Portland.
• Right-handed pitcher Denyi Reyes was added to the major league roster from High-A Salem.
Boston's 40-man roster is now at 39.
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.
Brewer, 26, made his major league debut with San Diego this season, making 11 relief appearances and allowing six earned runs while striking out 10 over 9.2 innings pitched. The right-hander spent the majority of his season with Triple-A El Paso, going 3-4 with three saves, 63 strikeouts, and a 3.75 ERA (20 ER/48.0 IP) over 37 relief appearances. He allowed zero earned runs in nine of his 11 major league outings, earning his first big league win with two hitless innings on September 28 against Arizona. Originally selected by the Pirates in the fourth round of the 2011 June Draft, Brewer has made 129 career minor league appearances, including 44 starts, between the Pirates (2012-13, '15-16), Yankees (2017), and Padres (2018) organizations.
Quiroz, 26, was signed by the Red Sox in November 2017 after spending the first seven seasons of his professional career in the Mexican League. In 24 games with Double-A Portland and eight games with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2018, the infielder hit .283 (30-for-106) with 22 runs scored, five doubles, one triple, seven home runs, and 31 RBI. In 616 total games between the Mexican League and Mexican Pacific Winter League from 2011-17, he batted .289 (546-for-1,891) with 48 home runs and 255 RBI.
Cuevas, 28, appeared in nine games over four major league stints with the Red Sox in 2018, but he spent most of the season with Pawtucket. The right-hander led PawSox pitchers in wins (10), strikeouts (121), and innings (135.1), going 10-7 with a 3.39 ERA (51 ER/135.1 IP) in 23 outings, all starts. Originally signed by Boston as an international free agent in 2008, the Venezuelan native has spent nine of his 10 professional seasons in the Red Sox organization (2009-16, '18) and one in the Detroit Tigers system (2017). In 13 major league games, including one start, he is 0-3 with an 8.06 ERA (20 ER/22.1 IP). He has also appeared in 209 minor league games (137 starts) and gone 58-56 with a 3.74 ERA (402 ER/967.2 IP).
Maddox, 27, spent the entire 2018 season on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain. The right-hander appeared in a total of eight games over two separate rehab assignments between Triple-A Pawtucket, Double-A Portland, and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Red Sox. On September 19, he underwent successful right shoulder rotator cuff surgery, performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, CA. Selected by Boston in the third round of the 2012 June Draft, Maddox made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2017 and posted a 0.52 ERA (1 ER/17.1 IP) in 13 appearances, all in relief. In 151 career minor league outings (15 starts), he is 14-20 with 25 saves and a 4.55 ERA (136 ER/269.0 IP).
Chavis, 23, hit .298 (51-for-171) with nine home runs, 27 RBI, and a .919 OPS over 46 games between Short-A Lowell, Double-A Portland, and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2018. The right-handed hitter was named Eastern League Offensive Player of the Week for August 6-12 and batted .395 (30-for-76) in the month, homering in each of his first two games with Pawtucket on August 24 and 25 at Buffalo. Selected by Boston in the first round of the 2014 June Draft (No. 26 overall), Chavis was named the Red Sox' 2017 Minor League Offensive Player of the Year after hitting 31 home runs with 94 RBI. In 401 career minor league games, he has batted .257 (389-for-1,515) with 65 home runs, making 243 starts at third base, 14 at shortstop, and 11 at first base.
Lakins, 24, posted a 2.32 ERA (14 ER/54.1 IP) and limited opponents to a .190 batting average over 36 appearances (six starts) between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket in 2018. He began the season making six starts before recording a 1.21 ERA (5 ER/37.1 IP) out of the bullpen, allowing zero earned runs in 26 of his 30 relief outings. In his final 16 games (beginning July 12), he posted a 0.82 ERA (2 ER/22.0 IP) with 21 strikeouts, four walks, and a .147 opponent batting average (11-for-75). Selected by Boston in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, the Ohio native is 14-9 with a 4.42 ERA (106 ER/215.2 IP), 201 strikeouts, and 89 walks in 71 appearances (40 starts) over four seasons within the Red Sox organization.
Taylor, 25, was acquired by Boston from Arizona in May to complete the clubs' March trade for Deven Marrero. He posted a 3.35 ERA (20 ER/53.2 IP) with 13 saves, 60 strikeouts, and 23 walks in a career-high 48 appearances, including 33 for Double-A Portland. The left-hander posted a 2.10 ERA (6 ER/25.2 IP) in his final 24 appearances of the season (beginning June 24), surrendering zero home runs in his final 34.2 innings. Following the regular season, he also made 10 appearances (one start) with Mesa in the Arizona Fall League. Originally signed by Philadelphia as a non-drafted free agent in August 2014, Taylor is 22-33 with a 4.47 ERA (209 ER/421.0 IP), 411 strikeouts, and 159 walks in 135 appearances (62 starts) between the Phillies (2014-15), Diamondbacks (2015-18), and Red Sox (2018) organizations.
Hernandez, 21, was 9-5 with a 3.53 ERA (42 ER/107.0 IP) in 2018, making 23 starts for High-A Salem and five relief appearances for Double-A Portland. The left-hander averaged 11.27 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and allowed only one home run on the season, ranking fourth among Red Sox minor leaguers with 134 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .222 batting average. Following the regular season, Hernandez made eight relief appearances for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted a 1.59 ERA (2 ER/11.1 IP), allowed zero extra-base hits, averaged 19.06 strikeouts per 9.0 innings, and struck out 24 batters while walking only six. Originally signed by Boston as an international free agent in 2013, the Venezuela native is 23-17 with a 3.25 ERA (127 ER/352.0 IP) and 389 strikeouts in 95 appearances (74 starts) over five seasons (2014-18).
Reyes, 22, was named the South Atlantic League's 2018 Most Outstanding Pitcher, also earning mid-season and postseason All-Star honors with the league. The right-hander led Red Sox minor leaguers in wins and ERA, going 12-5 with a 1.97 ERA (34 ER/155.2 IP) in 27 appearances (24 starts) between Single-A Greenville and High-A Salem. He struck out 145 batters and walked only 19 while holding opponents to a .210 batting average, with his 0.91 WHIP ranking fourth among qualifying minor leaguers. Reyes made six scoreless starts of at least 5.0 innings, including a 9.0-inning shutout on May 27 at Columbia. Signed by Boston as an international free agent in 2014, the Dominican native is 32-7 with a 2.12 ERA (77 ER/327.1 IP), a 0.95 WHIP, 286 strikeouts, and only 33 walks in 66 appearances (41 starts) over four seasons in the Red Sox organization.
BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (39)
PITCHERS (21):Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Colten Brewer, Richard Hembree, Darwinzon Hernandez, Christopher Johnson, Travis Lakins, Rick Porcello, Bobby Poyner, David Price, Denyi Reyes, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale, Robby Scott, Chandler Shepherd, Josh Taylor, Tyler Thornburg, Hector Velazquez, Marcus Walden, Brandon Workman, Steven Wright
CATCHERS (3):Sandy Leon, Blake Swihart, Christian Vazquez
INFIELDERS (11):Xander Bogaerts, Michael Chavis, Rafael Devers, Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, Tzu-Wei Lin, Mitch Moreland, Eduardo Núñez, Steve Pearce, Dustin Pedroia, Sam Travis
OUTFIELDERS (4):Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., J.D. Martinez