Brewers Send Burke Badenhop to Red Sox

Milwaukee traded for reliever last December.

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox have acquired reliever Burke Badenhop from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for lefty starter Luis Ortega.

The Brewers traded for Badenhop last December 1 in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, sending Raul Mondesi to Tampa. He aided in the Brewers repairing a bullpen that was anemic for their 2012 season. Last season, Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA and 1.187 WHIP. He was effective against right-handed hitters as they posted a .229 batting average when facing him. Lefty bats achieved more success, batting .338.

[RELATED: 2013 Season in Review: Milwaukee Brewers]

Here’s a nugget of info…

Badenhop enters his third year of arbitration eligible. He made $1.55MM this past season.

Ortega spent 2013 in the Gulf Coast League. After being utilized as a starter in 2012, he was switched to mostly work out of the pen. Ortega was 3-3 in 12 games (1 start) with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.445.

MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy notes that Brewers GM Doug Melvin must have confidence with their in-house options in order to make this deal. But more telling is this from McCalvy:

"The Brewers preferred to spend the $2 million or so they would have spent to bring him back on other needs, and trust middle relief to pre-arbitration pitchers like Michael Blazek, Alfredo Figaro, Donovan Hand and Rob Wooten, all of whom had some success at different points in 2013."

As far as the Red Sox are concerned, I’ll say this might not be the move Red Sox Nation was anticipating.