It appears the Boston Red Sox got a solid return in Tuesday's trade that sent Kiké Hernández to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The club announced it acquired minor-league right-handed relief pitchers Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman in the deal. Learn more about both players below.
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Nick Robertson
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Robertson, 25, was originally selected by the Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft. The former James Madison University standout debuted with the big-league club this season and made nine appearances before being sent back down to Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 1. In those nine outings, Robertson allowed seven earned runs in 10 1/3 innings while striking out 13 hitters and walking four.
Robertson's Triple-A numbers should intrigue Sox fans. Over 28 1/3 innings this year with the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the 6-foot-6 righty owns a 2.54 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. He boasts an impressive 37.5 percent strikeout rate at the Triple-A level in 2023.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Robertson make an impact out of Boston's bullpen at some point this season. The rookie, who's a fastball-changeup pitcher, has shown solid command in the minors and during his brief time in The Show.
Justin Hagenman
Hagenman, 26, was a 23rd-round pick by the Dodgers in 2018. The Penn State product has yet to appear in the majors, but he has been outstanding this year in Triple-A.
In 55 innings pitched (25 appearances) with the OKC Dodgers, Hagenman has a 2.78 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 60 strikeouts and 11 walks. It's been an encouraging bounce-back year for the righty after he posted a 6.08 ERA in 2022 and went unselected in the Rule 5 draft.
The Red Sox are expected to make more moves over the next week with the MLB trade deadline looming. More reinforcements for the pitching staff could be coming ahead of Aug. 1 as Chaim Bloom has emphasized the need for additional arms.
