Red Sox Reportedly Acquire Pitcher From Rays Before Opening Day

The Boston Red Sox made a last-minute depth addition to their pitching staff on Wednesday evening, just 24 hours before opening up the 2024 season against the Seattle Mariners.

Boston reportedly acquired starting pitcher Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, in exchange for cash considerations. Uwasawa joined the Rays in January, signing a minor-league contract with Tampa Bay before making four appearances in spring training, including two starts.

The 30-year-old right-hander recorded a 13.03 ERA in a combined 9 2/3 innings pitched in preseason exhibition action, surrendering 14 earned runs off 15 hits, including nine home runs while striking out four batters. During a start against the Baltimore Orioles, Uwasawa struck out three batters through four innings, allowing just one run off four hits.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora already announced the big league club’s official rotation heading into Opening Day — Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck — but that’s no reason to neglect opportunities to add depth. Boston already lost Lucas Giolito, the team’s biggest offseason splash, to a season-ending torn ulnar collateral ligament after landing the right-hander on a two-year, $38.5 deal.

From there, the options were limited for the Red Sox before Cora officially finalized the team’s roster.

Uwasawa joins Boston with nine years of NBP experience pitching in Japan, where he logged a career-3.19 ERA and a 70-62 record. Most recently, Uwasawa went 9-9 with a 2.96 ERA for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.