Jake Peavy Boston Red Sox Trade Is Official

Jake Peavy has been traded from the Chicago White Sox to the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal.

The right-hander has an 8-4 record with a 4.28 ERA and 17 walks in 13 starts (80 Innings) so far this season.

To get Peavy, Boston had to give up their excellent defensive shortstop/third baseman Jose Iglesias, who also has come on strong this season as a hitter. The Red Sox apparently believe that they enough depth on the left side of the infield with Will Middlebrooks, Xander Bogaerts, Garin Cecchini, and Deven Marrero in the minor leagues.

To consummate the trade for the four-time All-Star, the Red Sox sent Iglesias, 23, to the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Avisail Garcia and reliever Brayan Villareal, and then traded Garcia and several minor league prospects to the White Sox for Peavy. With the status of Clay Buchholz still uncertain, Peavy, 32, could become a key member of the Sox starting rotation as the team tries to solidify itself in the competitive MLB American League East.

For his career, Peavy is 128-97 with an ERA of 3.49 and 1,824 total strikeouts. He made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2002 and played there until he was traded to the White Sox in 2009. Peavy was the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2007 when he went 19-6. He is under contract through next season.

According to Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Thornton, a former Peavy teammate, “Jake has been a leader in terms of his stuff and preparation and competitive nature. He’s awesome. He’s a great pitcher, great competitor. He’s adjusted himself from what he was five, six, seven years ago when he was 97 mph with a filthy slider. He has a game plan out there, he executes it and he sticks to it.”

Do you think the Jake Peavy trade makes sense for the Red Sox even though they had to part with Jose Iglesias?

[Top image credit: Joe Bielawa]