It’s happening, at last. The Red Sox traded away Rafael Devers to the Giants back in June for a package of four players–and, importantly, retaining none of his salary–and thus far the return for the slugger has been underwhelming.
Jordan Hicks has been a disaster that the organization keeps foisting on Alex Cora, despite his 1.80 WHIP and 6.38 ERA. Prospect James Tibbs has already been traded again, sent to the Dodgers in the Dustin May trade after hitting .207 in 30 games in Double A. And 20-year-old pitcher Jose Bello was bumped up to Single A from rookie ball.
If there’s any hope for the Red Sox to get some sort of immediate return for Devers, it’s Kyle Harrison, who was sent to Triple-A Worcester after the trade was completed. And at long last, we’re going to see Harrison make his Fenway debut, on Wednesday against the Guardians.
Red Sox Make the Call to Worcester
That’s according to multiple reports, including from Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram, who wrote on Twitter/X, “Kyle Harrison is leaving Polar Park with his bags packed. He’s headed up to Boston.”
Other reports indicated that Harrison would start on Wednesday against the Guardians.
The need for another starter has come up because though the Red Sox are keeping top pitching prospect Payton Tolle in the rotation, but to do so, they want to continue giving him an extra day of rest. This is Tolle’s first season as a pro, and the organization has given him an extra day between starts throughout the season.
That means that Harrison’s stint in Boston could be short-lived. It’s possible the Red Sox will call him up, start him, then drop him back to Worcester by Thursday.
Red Sox Hoping Harrison Cuts Walks
Still, it will be worthwhile to see what Harrison can bring, especially if he’s the only guy standing in the wake of the Devers deal.
Harrison opened the season in the Giants’ rotation, but was demoted to the bullpen after a rough beginning to the season. He started four times in his eight appearances this season, going 1-1 with a 4.56 ERA. In all, he has gone 4-2 with a 3.65 ERA in his 11 starts for the WooSox, though his walk number (26 in 49.1 innings) is higher than the Red Sox would like.
That has not changed recently, but over his last eight starts he has pitched around his free passes, going 3-0 with a 2.26 ERA.
Kyle Harrison Hits 97 MPH
Harrison was the Giants’ No. 1 prospect in 2024 and though he has been slow to translate that status into big-league success, he clearly has the stuff to fill a rotation spot. Here’s the book on him from MLB’s prospect pipeline scouting report:
“More polished than overpowering as an amateur, Harrison now owns a fastball that sits at 92-95 mph and reaches 97 while playing well above its velocity thanks to its riding action, flat approach angle and the extension in his delivery. Both of his secondary pitches can be plus offerings at their best, though they weren’t as effective in the Majors as they were in the Minors. His sweeping low-80s slider is more reliable than his fading mid-80s changeup.”
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