Mets Send Reed To Red Sox For Three Righthanders

THE DEAL

The Mets, in the midst of a disappointing season, continued their move toward 2018 and beyond Monday by trading closer Addison Reed to the Red Sox for three righthanded relievers—Gerson Bautista, Jaime Callahan and Stephen Nogosek.

Reed is a free agent after the season and figures to slide into a setup role ahead of closer Craig Kimbrel, a role the Sox have had problems filling this season. Two prominent bullpen acquisitions—Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg—have been hurt and contributed next to nothing in Boston.

METS ACQUIRE
Gerson Bautista, rhp
Age: 22

Bautista, who signed with the Red Sox in April 2013, performed well as a starter in Rookie ball but struggled as he moved up the ladder. Moved to the bullpen in 2016, his fastball velocity showed a big jump, touching 100 mph and sitting in the upper 90s. Bautista has a quick arm, but there is some unconventional action in his delivery that makes it difficult for him to maintain a consistent line to the plate, which leads to wavering command. His best secondary pitch is a slider that shows depth but is inconsistent, and he tends to overuse it at times.

Club	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
Salem (HiA)	3	2	5.16	27	0	4	45.1	54	2	28	53

Stephen Nogosek, rhp
Age: 22

A dominant reliever at Oregon and with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, the sixth-round pick in 2016 has two things in his favor: competitiveness and spin rate. His fastball can touch mid-90s, and he can spin it above barrels, drawing swings and misses and weak contact. He has tightened up his slider to where it has cutting action, and he’s working on a changeup. Nogosek has battled command issues since a promotion to high Class A, in part because the Red Sox had begun to stretch out his outings and partly because his long arm action can lead to issues commanding his breaking ball.

Club	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
Greenville (LoA)	2	3	2.55	23	0	13	35.1	24	4	11	45
Salem (HiA)	2	1	4.08	13	0	6	17.2	15	3	10	18

Jamie Callahan, rhp
Age: 22

Callahan also began his pro career as a starter before transitioning to the bullpen in 2015. Callahan’s main weapons are a hard slider and fastball that sits 94-96 mph, as well as an aggressive mound approach. Command has been Callahan’s bugaboo (4.o9 walks per nine innings). After walking none in 13 innings with 20 strikeout at Double-A, he’s walking four batters per nine at Triple-A. Scouts project Callahan as a middle reliever due to his inconsistent control.

Club	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	HR	BB	SO
Portland (AA)	4	1	1.38	10	0	2	13	8	0	0	20
Pawtucket (AAA)	1	1	4.03	22	0	4	29	28	2	13	36

RED SOX ACQUIRE
Addison Reed, rhp
Age: 28

Reed stepped in as nominal closer after the suspension of and then injury to Jeurys Familia. A fastball/slider reliever, Reed isn’t striking out as many hitters as 2016 and his hard-hit rate is higher year over year, but he’s maintained superb control as a Met and has a basically neutral fly ball/ground-ball rate.