Red Sox announce roster moves

July 4th, 2023

BOSTON, MA—The Boston Red Sox today announced the following roster moves:

  • Placed right-handed pitcher Garrett Whitlock on the 15-Day Injured List (retroactive to July 3) with right elbow inflammation.
  • Placed left-handed pitcher James Paxton on the Paternity Leave List.
  • Recalled left-handed pitcher Brandon Walter and right-handed pitcher Tayler Scott from Triple-A Worcester. Scott will wear number 67.

Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom made the announcement.

Whitlock, 27, was removed from Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays after the first inning. The right-hander has made 10 starts for the Red Sox this season, going 4-3 with a 5.23 ERA (30 ER/51.2 IP). Boston has won five of his last seven starts. Selected from the New York Yankees in the Major League portion of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, Whitlock has gone 16-9 with a 3.36 ERA (76 ER/203.1 IP) in 87 career appearances (19 starts) for the Red Sox (2021-23).

Paxton, 34, was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for June, going 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA (6 ER/31.0 IP) and .165 opponent batting average (18-for-109) during the month. He last started Friday in Toronto, tossing a season-high 7.2 scoreless innings with three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. Signed by Boston as a free agent on December 1, 2021, the left-hander is 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA (15 ER/50.0 IP) in nine starts this season and has posted a 3.53 ERA (316 ER/804.2 IP) in 146 career starts with the Seattle Mariners (2013-18, 2021), New York Yankees (2019-20), and the Red Sox (2023).

Walter, 26, made his Major League debut on June 22 against the Minnesota Twins, allowing three runs over 6.2 innings of relief. Ranked among the Red Sox’ top 10 prospects by MLB.com (No. 7) and Baseball America (No. 8), the left-hander owns a 6.08 ERA (43 ER/63.2 IP) in 14 games (12 starts) for Worcester this season. He has posted a 3.87 ERA (105 ER/244.0 IP) with 11.47 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (311 strikeouts) in 63 career minor league outings (37 starts).

Scott, 31, was acquired on June 22 from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations. The right-hander has pitched in six games for the Dodgers this season, while also posting a 1.59 ERA (4 ER/22.2 IP) with 27 strikeouts in 21 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City (19 games) and Worcester (two games). Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, the Johannesburg native has posted a 10.75 ERA (41 ER/34.1 IP) in 27 career Major League games (two starts) with the Seattle Mariners (2019), Baltimore Orioles (2019), San Diego Padres (2022), and Dodgers (2023).