The Boston Red Sox had seven starters listed on their depth chart for the past month or so of the offseason. Now they have six after the team executed a trade with the Texas Rangers.
On Tuesday night the Red Sox sent starter Anthony Ranaudo to the Rangers in exchange for reliever Robbie Ross Jr., according to John Blake of the Texas Rangers organization. Aside from the outfield, Boston has a bit of a logjam in the starting rotation, which now consists of Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley, Justin Masterson, Joe Kelly and Brandon Workman. The Sox have also been looking to add a No. 1 starter for most of the season, and trading Ranaudo potentially clears up room for such a move.
Ranaudo joined the Red Sox roster in 2014 following a stint with Triple-A Pawtucket, during which he went 14-4 with a 2.61 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 24 starts. At the Major League level, the right-hander went 4-3 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in seven starts from the beginning of August until the end of September. He'll now join a crowded starting rotation in Texas, but general manager Jon Daniels seems to be excited about the 25-year-old's potential.
"He has a four-pitch mix," Daniels said, via T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. "He doesn't necessarily overpower guys, but has a quality pitch mix and throws strikes. Our scouts who have looked at him [talk] about his intelligence and aptitude and the will to make adjustments. We think there is more there, and he'll continue to improve."
Interestingly enough, the Rangers drafted Ranaudo in the 11th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of high school, but the right-hander opted to attend college at Louisiana State University where he helped the team win the College World Series in 2010.
The Red Sox received left-handed reliever Robbie Ross Jr. in the deal. The 25-year-old spent the last three seasons with the Rangers and was used as a starter for part of the 2014 season. As a full-time reliever in 2012 and 2013, Ross was 10-2 with a 2.61 ERA in 123 games (127 1/3 innings). However, he had a tough campaign this past season when he made 12 starts out of his 27 games pitched. The left-hander went 3-6 with a 6.20 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in only 78 1/3 innings.
Ross will likely join the bullpen and provide a good lefty option for manager John Farrell.
