Red Sox acquire right-handed reliever from the Tigers
The Red Sox made a minor trade on Saturday night, acquiring right-handed reliever Trey Wingenter from the Tigers for minor-league righty CJ Weins, the team announced.
Wingenter, 30, has pitched parts of three MLB seasons with the Padres and Tigers. He was a 7th-round pick of the Padres during the 2017 draft and made his club debut in 2018. Over two seasons with San Diego, the righty posted a 5.14 ERA in 70 innings of work. He struck out 33.1% of the batters he faced while in San Diego.
The Red Sox new reliever missed almost all of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons due to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and a pair of back surgeries for herniated discs in 2021 and 2022.
The righty signed with the Tigers prior to the 2023 season, pitching in 17 games and posting a 5.82 ERA with a 3.96 FIP. Wingenter offers a four-seam fastball, slider, and splitter. His fastball sits around 95.9 mph, while his hits 85 mph. He has primarily thrown his four-seamer and slider, but all three pitches help him miss bats.
The right-handed hurler has recorded a 3.31 ERA in 26 appearances this season with Triple-A Toledo.
Wingenter will be added to the Red Sox 40-man roster due to an assignment clause in his contract, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Boston has not yet announced a corresponding move to make room.
The Alabama native is the second arm the Red Sox acquired in the last week. Boston claimed righty Alex Speas off waivers from the Astros last week. He made his WooSox debut on Saturday, tossing a scoreless inning and recording a hold.
Weins heads to the Tigers organization after spending the year in the Red Sox system following the 2023 MLB draft. Boston selected Weins in the sixth round and signed him for $50,000.
The 23-year-old posted a 4.81 ERA with 16 walks (14.7% walk rate) and 29 strikeouts (26.6% strikeout rate) across 24 2/3 innings in 19 games out of the bullpen with Low-A Salem.
