BOSTON -- After making a big splash by trading for All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman earlier on Monday, the Red Sox made two additional moves in the final hour leading up to the 6 p.m. ET Trade Deadline that could also aid the club’s pursuit of a postseason spot.
Shortstop Marcelo Mayer, who had a hard time staying healthy and living up to his potential in his first two Major League seasons, was dealt to the Giants for lefty reliever Erik Miller and Minor League outfielder Carlos Gutierrez.
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Additionally, the Sox added right-handed-hitting outfielder Eli White from the Braves for Minor League righty Tyler Uberstine.
In particular, the addition of Miller could make a big impact on interim manager Chad Tracy’s bullpen.
TRADE DETAILS
Red Sox receive: LHP Erik Miller, OF Carlos Gutierrez (now their No. 14 prospect)
Giants receive: INF Marcelo Mayer
TRADE DETAILS
Red Sox receive: OF Eli White
Braves receive: RHP Tyler Uberstine (Boston's No. 11 prospect)
While Boston’s bullpen has been among the best in the game, particularly in recent weeks, the 6-foot-5, 269-pound Miller gives the Red Sox the power pitcher they lacked from the left side. Miller’s sinker has averaged 96.9 mph this season. His other main weapon is a slider. Miller sometimes throws a four-seamer and a changeup.
“What we saw was an opportunity to get a back-end reliever with control who throws from the left side with huge stuff, generates a ton of swings and misses, and gets a ton of strikeouts,” said Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. “And as you think about a bullpen down the stretch and potentially into the postseason, the ability to bring guys in who can get swings and misses and shorten the game when relievers are available almost every night because of the schedule becomes really, really valuable.”
In 38 appearances this season, MIller, 28, has a 2.76 ERA. In 32 2/3 innings, he has 22 walks and 45 strikeouts.
While Breslow is clearly excited about the acquisition piece, dealing Mayer, who was the team’s top prospect at one point, wasn’t easy.
“Speaking about Marcelo, he was a really big part of this organization, someone that was looked upon to be part of a core,” said Breslow. “And I still think that's going to happen. It's going to happen with the San Francisco Giants at this point.”
The fourth pick in the 2021 Draft, Mayer is currently on the 10-day injured list recovering from a bone stress reaction in his left ulna. The left-handed hitter suffered a left wrist injury that required surgery and forced him to miss the final two months of the ‘25 season. Unfortunately, health issues have been a consistent problem for Mayer even dating back to his years in the Minors.
Mayer won the job as the starting second baseman this spring, but moved to shortstop when Trevor Story suffered a sports hernia injury in the middle of May.
The Red Sox hoped that Mayer moving back to his natural position would open him up offensively, but it didn’t take.
In 114 games and 364 plate appearances over the past two seasons, Mayer had a batting line of .223/.278/.346 with seven homers and 32 RBIs.
White, 32, is a veteran platoon player with a batting line of .233/.285/.406 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 144 plate appearances this season for the Braves.
“Yeah, [interim manager Chad Tracy] and I have talked through that, and we feel like he gives us a right-handed option to get Ceddanne [Rafaela] a day if he needs it,” said Breslow. “He can really, really defend, and if we wanted to give Willy [Abreu] or Jarren [Duran] a day, we can throw him out there and feel like we're not missing a beat defensively.
“He can change a game with his defense. He can change a game with his speed. We think that he'll give a good at-bat as well. There are ways to make this work. We are going to do that and feel like he adds another level of athleticism to what I think has become the identity of this team.”
It was a productive Trade Deadline month for the Sox, who also acquired right-handed hitting slugger Curtis Mead for lefty Connelly Early a week ago. But Mead’s time with Boston was quickly put on hold when he suffered a left wrist fracture in his second at-bat with the club.
Mead could still be back for the final portion of the regular season, or perhaps the playoffs. Boston is also hopeful that Roman Anthony (partially torn tendon in right wrist) and Trevor Story (sports hernia surgery) will be back at some point.
Breslow wound up not being able to add a shortstop before the Deadline. For now, the Sox will continue to give hot-hitting Andruw Monasterio the majority of the at-bats with Nick Sogard filling in at times.
Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (stress reaction, left forearm) could provide added depth at some point.
And what about Franklin Arias, Boston’s No. 1 prospect and MLB’s No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline? Could he make his debut this season?
“I hate to put those types of expectations on a 20-year-old,” said Breslow. “What I am very excited to say is that every challenge that he has faced, he's met, which is pretty incredible for someone his age and what he's done at each level. I just feel like we'll continue to take note of what he's doing. We'll continue to put him in the best development environment that we can, and if he is the person who can help us, then we'll have that conversation when it comes time.”