The Red Sox announced a pair of roster moves Thursday, including the placement of right-hander Hector Velazquez on the 10-day injured list due to a lower back strain. Taking Velazquez’s place is fellow right-hander Mike Shawaryn, who will reach the Major Leagues for the first time after having his contract selected from Triple-A Pawtucket. No 40-man move was required, as Boston had an extra roster spot available.
Velazquez posted good bottom-line results as a swingman in 2018, with a 3.18 ERA over 85 innings (39 relief appearances, eight starts). ERA predictors took a much dimmer view of Velazquez’s performance, however, as a 4.15 FIP, 4.63 xFIP and 4.51 SIERA reflected a modest 5.61 K/9. While Velazquez struck out more batters this season, his walk rate rose and grounder rate diminished, resulting in a 5.97 ERA over 34 2/3 innings, with seven of his 18 appearances coming as a starting pitcher.
Shawaryn will provide the Sox with some extra rotation depth with Nathan Eovaldi still on the IL and Ryan Weber filling in as the fifth starter. Given the uncertainty in Boston’s bullpen, there’s certainly room for opportunity for Shawryn to stick in the big leagues if he performs well.
A fifth-round pick out of the University of Maryland in the 2016 draft, Shawaryn has started 67 of his 68 games as a professional, posting a 3.60 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and 3.05 K/BB rate over 355 1/3 innings. Shawaryn is credited with a 60-grade slider by MLB.com, which lists the 24-year-old as the 12th-best prospect in Boston’s farm system. As per the site’s scouting report, Shawaryn “has a high floor, appearing to be a good bet to at least become a multi-inning reliever who could live off his slider.”
I think Shawaryn is a really underrated prospect. He’s pitched great at every level along the way in the minors and has a solid fastball and decent secondary offerings. I know one of the big questions surrounding him is if he’s best suited for relief vs starting but either way I think he’ll wind up being an effective ML arm. excited to see him make his debut!
Agree 100%
Agreed also. Should have been given a try before long time failures erasmo ramirez and Josh Smith for certain, not to mention ryan Weber. All who were signed to milb deals for no other reason than to give Pawtucket a rotation since there was NOBODY prospect wise there, other than Shawaryn headed into the season and NONE of the people they signed deserved 1 inning of MLB time starting wise.
At this point, I’d be excited if they signed Eck out of the booth to come pitch out of their bullpen!
If it gets him out of the booth I’m all for it. If he can get batters out that’s a plus. He’s the worst color man in baseball
Agreed. I loved him as a pitcher but goddamn he has to quit making sayings up. A pair of shoes? wth
We need more wacky color men! All announcers today sound like corporate drones. The worst are the Mets. They put me to sleep!
I have MLB TV. I watch all games and get a choice which team to watch from. IMO, the worst booth is in Pittsburgh. Still, I prefer to watch them over the Yankees’ obnoxiousness.
No way… he’s awesome.
No, Salty and Jonny Gomes make Eck sound like Red Barber.
Congratulations Mike.
Welcome to the Show.
May your Slider set up both your fastball and your wallet..
Go Get Em…
Bring back Allen Webster and Henry Owens!
Webster was actually pitching decently the last I looked — out of the pen now but still. Better than the crap the Sox have been rolling out of their pen!!!
14 hits and 5 walks in 11 innings for Webster. That’s not good.
Go get ’em Unicorn!!!
Sox need to trade for an established closer soon
I’d rather they get two Reliable set up guys. Barnes can close if he stops walking guys.
I prefer a lights out closer than Barnes closing games
I see what you’re saying, but if the job isn’t done in the 7th and 8th we don’t need a closer.