Red Sox To Try This Pitcher Out In High-Leverage Situations

Jorge Alcala has sneakily been superb since joining the Boston Red Sox.

Alcala, who was acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins on June 12, has surrendered just one earned run in 12 total appearances out of the bullpen — striking out 11 batters in 11 1/3 innings pitched.

It’s been a goos stretch, which will be rewarded with some added responsibility.

MassLive’s Christopher Smith put together a story touching on the right-hander’s success since being traded, and snuck some pertinent information into it regarding his role moving forward. Red Sox manager Alex Cora apparently wants to put the hurler in more high-leverage situations.

The Red Sox are set up nicely in high-leverage innings, with Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock both putting together impeccable seasons but almost exclusively being used in later innings. Alcala could be called upon in stressful situations that might present themselves in middle innings, however.

Boston won’t know what they have until they toss the guy into the fire, and what better time to start then right before the trade deadline?