RealGM Analysis
The Boston Red Sox made a big splash late Tuesday night, acquiring Jake Peavy in a three-team deal with the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. Speculation started when Jackie Bradley, Jr. was pulled from a game at Triple-A Pawtucket and intensified when John Farrell substituted for Jose Iglesias against the Seattle Mariners.
We later learned that Bradley had a minor elbow injury, but the Iglesias decision was a harbinger of what would happen later that night. The Red Sox and White Sox tried to work out a simpler deal involving Peavy, but ultimately a third team had to be brought in to make things work.
The Tigers landed Iglesias in the deal, while sending Brayan Villarreal to the Red Sox and outfield prospect Avisail Garcia to the White Sox. Chicago also landed right-handers J.B. Wendelken and Francellis Montas and shortstop Cleuluis Rondon from Boston's farm system.
Iglesias fills a pending need for the Tigers, who are waiting for Major League Baseball to suspend Jhonny Peralta for his connection to the Biogenesis scandal (reports on Wednesday night indicated that those suspensions could come this weekend). Detroit is a World Series contender and a hole at short would have created huge problems. Peralta will be a free agent at the end of the season, meaning Dave Dombrowski would have had to re-sign or replace him in a few months anyway.
His bat is expected to be just average, but at 23 years old Iglesias might already have the best glove in baseball. The Red Sox were able to part with him because they have Xander Bogaerts lighting up Triple-A Pawtucket. Iglesias is hitting .330/.376/.409 in 234 plate appearances this season, but over the last 28 days he has a line of just .192/.229/.205.
Grade for Tigers: A-
Detroit had to part with Garcia, 22, to land Iglesias, no small price but a justified one. It's harder to find a plus shortstop than a plus outfielder in today's game. Baseball America ranked Garcia as the No. 74 prospect when the season began and he has played very well with Triple-A Toledo. In 152 plate appearances, he has hit .382/.414/.549 with five home runs. He has the ability to be an above-average right fielder and the White Sox see him as a piece in their effort to complete a quick rebuild.
In addition to Garcia, Chicago also added two pitchers and a shortstop.
Wendelken, 20, has worked out of the bullpen for Class-A Greenville this season, pitching to a 2.81 ERA with 7.6 strikeouts per nine in 64 innings. The Red Sox used a 12th round pick to draft him in 2012. Montas, 20, started for Greenville and was mildly effective. His ERA (5.70) is ugly, but he is averaging 10.1 strikeouts per nine. He has a strong arm with the ability to throw 100 mph, but his secondary pitches reportedly need work. Montas is the more enticing prospect of the two.
Rondon is the lesser known of the two shortstops Ben Cherington moved to acquire Peavy. The 19-year-old is hitting .277/.328/.353 for Class-A Lowell. Like Iglesias he features a better glove than he does bat, but the defensive upside isn't nearly as high as that of the new Detroit infielder.
If Montas turns out to be a winning lottery ticket, the White Sox will definitely look back at this deal fondly. Even if his velocity doesn't transition to the Major Leagues, Garcia can win this deal on his own if he hits for power with a strong glove in the outfield.
Grade for White Sox: B+
The Red Sox are battling the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East and without Peavy they had no chance to match up with the Rays' arms late this season and potentially in the playoffs. He isn't the borderline superstar he was during his time with the San Diego Padres, but should slide in very nicely on Farrell's staff.
The 32-year-old had a 4.28 ERA with the White Sox, averaging 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings. Peavy has a high groundball rate and the Red Sox can ensure he's more effective if they promote Bogaerts sooner rather than later. Grounders up the middle will be handled by Dustin Pedroia, but there are some holes on the far left and right side of the infield.
Cherington gave up a Major League shortstop and three prospects for Peavy, who is under contract for $14.5 million in 2014. He holds a vesting player option for 2015 at $15 million. He doesn't come cheap, but Peavy is fearless and a red-hot race pennant race won't scare him a bit.
Grade for Red Sox: A-
This is the rare blockbuster that looks as though it will (eventually) help all involved teams. If Peavy pitches well for the Red Sox this fall (and maybe the next as well), the organization won't lose any sleep parting with Iglesias and a few lower-level prospects in what is still a deep system. He could single-handedly win a playoff game in 2013, something no other player in this deal can claim.
