Red Sox Acquire Lucas Sims From The Reds

The Red Sox bolstered their battered bullpen on Tuesday with the acquisition of Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds. Robert Murray was first on the case.

The Sox are sending minor league righty Ovis Portes to the Reds to finish the deal.

Sims brings a four-seam fastball and a slider to the desk, with a cutter as his third providing (new this yr). By way of pure stuff, Eno Sarris of Fangraphs put collectively this record on Monday night time, which is extraordinarily encouraging.

Sims has not had a clearly outlined position with the Reds out of the pen, getting into a number of video games within the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings this yr alone. His largest points have been too many walks, and stretches the place he struggles to maintain the ball within the yard. Nonetheless, he’s additionally confirmed able to getting into sticky conditions in the midst of innings and placing out fires with strike outs.

Oddly, regardless of Cincinnati having a hitter pleasant ballpark, Sims has been significantly better at house all through his profession than on the street. That’s been very true this yr as he’s held opposing batters to a .534 OPS in Cincinnati, whereas additionally being blasted for a 1.006 OPS on the street. As for Fenway, he’s solely pitched right here twice: An efficient, scoreless inning in 2018, and an ineffective one final yr.

So far as the postseason is anxious, his groups have solely made it as soon as, and even that comes with an asterisk, because it was the 2020 Covid season. Sims did full two scoreless aid outings that fall with 5 strikeouts and no hits allowed, nevertheless it clearly wasn’t in entrance of big crowds, so it’s a thriller as to how he’ll take to a real excessive strain setting.

Except he indicators a brand new contract in Boston, this transfer might be a rental because the 30-year-old reliever is eligible at no cost company on the finish of the 2024 season.

Going within the different route is Ovis Portes. A 19-year-old proper handed pitcher from the Leeward Islands of St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda. He was pitching in Salem with a 3.43 ERA this yr and ranked twenty ninth on Soxprospects.com. Whereas he does have simple velocity and could possibly be an arm we’ll miss sometime, he’s nonetheless years away from the majors if he ever even will get there.