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Boston Red Sox Add Bullpen Insurance in Brad Ziegler

By Jason Burke

Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Brad Ziegler (29) pitches during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Brad Ziegler (29) pitches during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks won 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks made a trade in the wee hours of the morning following the D-Backs 6-2 loss at the hands of the San Francisco Giants, acquiring Arizona’s closer Brad Ziegler for a pair of prospects.

On Friday, it was announced that Boston’s closer, Craig Kimbrel, was unavailable due to soreness in his knee, and Junichi Tazawa was also unavailable to pitch due to shoulder discomfort. In a tight AL East every game is important, and the Sox decided to act swiftly to remedy any bullpen issues that may linger by adding Ziegler to the mix.

Ziegler broke into the big leagues in 2008 with the Oakland Athletics and was traded to the Diamondbacks at the deadline in 2011 for Brandon Allen and Jordan Norberto. In both stops, the side-winding right-hander posted a 2.49 ERA, so by default that is his career ERA. This season the 36-year-old has posted a 2.82 mark and has seen his walk rate (3.5) and strikeout rate (6.3) go up slightly. He has blown just two saves all season, and one was in Colorado.

Ziegler’s 63% ground ball rate is ranked at the 7th-best in baseball among relievers, right behind New York Mets closer Jeurys Familia‘s 63.4. 

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Set to hit free agency this winter, pitching for a big market team in the middle of a playoff hunt could do wonders for Ziegler’s next contract. He has 18 saves on the season, and could certainly take over the closer’s role for a spell if Kimbrel hits the disabled list. If all if fine and dandy, Ziegler is an solid eighth inning option, or a situational reliever for when a double play is needed.

This trade likely signals that the Diamondbacks are now in sell mode, adding two lower level prospects in Jose Almonte and Luis Alejandro Basabe. Almonte, 20, is a right-handed pitcher that has been with the Greenville Drive in the South Atlantic League this season. Walks were an issue last season, with a 5.5 BB/9 rate, but that figure has dropped dramatically in 2016 as Almonte has  a 2.2 walk rate per nine innings, which has caused his strikeout rate to dip just a little from 8.8 to 7.6. Almonte is 2-2 with a 3.91 ERA in ten starts.

The trade parts Luis Alejandro Basabe with his twin brother Luis Alexander Basabe, both of whom were playing with the Drive. Alejandro is a middle infield prospect that is batting .311 with four homers, 24 RBI and has a .885 OPS this season. His brother was rated as the 9th-best prospect in a deep Sox system before the season began, while Alejandro wasn’t in the team’s top 30.

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Presumably Tyler Clippard will take over closing duties in the desert after posting a 3.06 ERA (identical to his ERA with the Mets down the stretch last season) with a 10.9 K/9 rate. The other obvious option would be Daniel Hudson, the pitcher made famous from this season’s bestselling book “The Arm” for having two Tommy John surgeries and still returning to the majors and pitching effectively. Hudson is set to be a free agent after the season, and limiting his statistical prowess (read: saves) could be a way for Arizona limit his value this winter. Hudson has posted a 4.50 ERA this season with a 7.0 K/9 rate.

To make room for Brad Ziegler on the roster, the Red Sox transferred Blake Swihart to the 60-day DL.

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