Phillies acquire Workman and Hembree from Red Sox

The Phillies have acquired right-handed pitchers Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handers Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold, the club announced tonight.

Workman, 32, has appeared in seven games for the Red Sox this season, recording four saves in four opportunities while posting a 4.05 ERA with eight strikeouts. In 2019, he became just the eighth reliever in major league history to record 100 or more strikeouts and allow one or no home runs, and posted a 1.88 ERA in 73 appearances. He held opponents to a .123 batting average, the lowest mark since 1900 among any pitcher to pitch at least 60.0 innings. In parts of six seasons with the Red Sox (2013-14, 2017-20), Workman posted a 3.75 ERA with 20 saves, averaging 9.47 strikeouts per nine innings in 195 appearances (18 starts). He was originally selected by the Phillies in the third round of the June 2007 draft out of high school, but did not sign.

Hembree made 11 relief appearances in 2020 for Boston, posting a 1.86 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 9.2 innings over his first 10 of those 11 outings. The 31-year old has spent eight years in the majors (2013-20) with the San Francisco Giants and Red Sox, posting a 3.60 ERA in 260 relief appearances. He has averaged more than 10.00 strikeouts per nine innings pitched in each of the last three seasons.

Pivetta, 27, made 71 starts and 21 relief appearances with the Phillies from 2016-20, posting a 5.50 ERA. He appeared in three games in relief this season before being optioned on August 11. Seabold, 24, had a 3.52 ERA in 40 minor league appearances (34 starts).

Earlier today, the Phillies acquired right-handed pitcher David Hale from the New York Yankees in exchange for right-hander Addison Russ, and designated left-handed pitcher Austin Davis for assignment. Hale, who had been designated for assignment by New York on Monday, made six appearances for the Yankees in 2020, allowing two runs in 6.0 innings. A 32-year-old veteran of seven seasons (2013-16, 2018-20), Hale has made 95 appearances (20 starts) for the Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins, posting a 4.23 ERA.

Workman will wear No. 44, Hembree will wear No. 43 and Hale will wear No. 41.