Brewers trade Burke Badenhop to Red Sox

Burke Badenhop will help provide bullpen depth in Boston. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier today, the Milwaukee Brewers traded right-handed relief pitcher Burke Badenhop to the Boston Red Sox for Luis Ortega, a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic.

Badenhop, 30, was originally traded to the Brewers from the Tampa Bay Rays last December for outfielder Raul Mondesi Jr. With the Brewers this season, Badenhop worked in 63 games and hosted an ERA of 3.47 in 62.1 innings of work. Badenhop also posted a K/9 of 6.1 with a BB/9 of 1.7. He also had a FIP (fielder independent pitching) of 3.53, an xFIP of 3.40 and a WAR of 0.3.

Heading into 2014, Badenhop is arbitration eligible so the Red Sox will have to make some sort of deal with him. He made $1.55 million this season as his contract guaranteed him that for one-year.

As for Ortega, he has only had two professional years in which he pitched for the Red Sox’s rookie teams. Between the two seasons, Ortega is 9-6 with an ERA of 2.25 in 96 innings (25 games, 14 starts) and has a K/9 of 6.4.

Ortega was signed by the Red Sox in 2011 and since then, hasn’t appeared on any ranked prospects’ lists. It will be interesting to see how he fares in Milwaukee’s minor leagues.

This is an interesting trade for both teams who were in need of pitchers. For the Brewers, they do lose a part of the bullpen, but gain Ortega who can provide some solid innings a few years down the road. The Red Sox’s acquisition of Badenhop will help strengthen their bullpen that had been rocked by injuries to Andrew Bailey and Joel Hanrahan. Badenhop may have more of a mop-up role in Boston much like he did in Milwaukee.

An interesting note for Badenhop is that he will head back to the American League East as he pitched for the Rays in only 2012. At Fenway Park, Badenhop has a career ERA of 2.45 in 7.1 innings pitched (four games).