June 12: The commerce is now official, with each groups formally asserting the transfer late final night time.
June 11: The Purple Sox are buying right-hander Jorge Alcala from the Twins, as first reported by Phil Miller of the Star Tribune. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reviews that infield/outfield prospect Andy Lugo is headed to Minnesota in return for Alcala’s companies. The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reviews that no money is being despatched from the Twins to Boston within the deal. Each groups subsequently introduced the deal formally, and Boston designated right-hander Brian Van Belle for task to create room for Alcala on the 40-man roster.
In keeping with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, the Twins have been planning to designate Alcala for task within the coming days, and after the membership claimed southpaw Joey Wentz off waivers earlier right this moment it’s pretty straightforward to surmise that the choice to half with Alcala was motivated by a need to make room for Wentz on the energetic roster. By buying and selling for Alcala preemptively, the Purple Sox have been in a position to bypass the waiver course of so as and add the right-hander to their bullpen extra instantly. Even when the Twins have been planning to half methods with Alcala previous to this commerce, it’s clear that the Purple Sox have been very within the 29-year-old righty on condition that they gave up a low-level prospect to accumulate him and took on the rest of Alcala’s $1.5MM wage for this yr even if most trades of DFA candidates wind up being money offers.
Trying simply at Alcala’s surface-level numbers, it might be arduous to see why the Purple Sox could be enamored with him. Throughout 22 appearances with Minnesota this yr, he’s pitched to an 8.88 ERA with a 5.42 FIP and an elevated 13.2% stroll fee. These numbers are definitely regarding, however Alcala’s 24.6% strikeout fee has remained fairly good even on this down season and he entered the yr with a profession 3.64 ERA and 4.33 FIP. His 2024 marketing campaign was even higher, as he posted a 3.24 ERA and 4.14 FIP in 58 1/3 innings of labor throughout a season the place his stroll fee sat at a way more manageable 8.5%. Alcala’s .369 BABIP allowed and 52.6% strand fee are each sure to enhance over a bigger pattern measurement, and if the Purple Sox will help restore his command it’s in no way troublesome to see them making him right into a viable possibility for the center innings of even a setup position.
That may be a unbelievable growth for Boston if it have been to return to fruition, as they’re with out Justin Slaten and Liam Hendriks whereas each are on the injured checklist. That’s left them a bit weak from the correct aspect, with Garrett Whitlock and Greg Weissert compelled to step into excessive leverage roles. Zack Kelly is at the moment within the membership’s bullpen regardless of a 6.61 ERA, and the membership has zero full-time relievers who throw from the right-hand aspect on the 40-man roster within the minors in the intervening time. The depth Alcala might present to the bullpen if he manages to get proper is appreciable, and it was sufficient of an improve that the Purple Sox opted to DFA Van Belle simply in the future after including him to the roster. The Purple Sox could have one week to both commerce Van Belle, who has nonetheless not but made his large league debut regardless of his transient call-up, or put him by means of waivers.
Heading to Minnesota in return for Alcala’s companies is Lugo. The 21-year-old has been within the Purple Sox group since 2022 and is at the moment hitting .265/.327/.430 throughout 44 video games on the Excessive-A stage. He’s cut up time between first base, third base, and left subject all through his professional profession so far, however is unranked on MLB.com’s Prime 30 Purple Sox Prospects checklist. That’s not essentially a shock given his age and the truth that he’s not but reached to the Double-A stage, nevertheless it’s not unimaginable to think about him getting referred to as as much as Double-A by the tip of the yr now that he’s within the Twins group, as long as he can proceed hitting pretty properly in his new group.
