11:47 am: The Rockies have announced the trade.
11:28 am: The Rockies have acquired right-handers Connor Seabold by the Red Sox for a later-named player or cash, reports MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via twitter). Boston picked Seabold for the job last week when he finalized his deal with the free-agent starter Corey Kluber. The Rockies had an open spot on the 40-man roster, so a related transaction is not required.
Seabold, 26, was a mildly surprising DFA from the Red Sox, if only because of his recent status as one of the organization’s more promising pitching prospects. However, there are pronounced concerns about the right-hander’s durability, in no small part due to elbow problems in 2021 and a forearm strain in 2022. Seabold has only 364 professional innings since his call-up in 2017 — that modest total despite his status as a starting pitcher.
As for his major league work, Seabold is yet to find success. He’s only tallyed 21 1/3 innings in the majors, all with the Red Sox, and he’s been tagged for 25 carries during that stint. Things went smoother in Triple-A, where Seabold served well last season: 86 1/3 innings, 3.32 ERA, 24.7% strikeout rate, 5.3% walk rate.
Despite concerns about his ability to stay on the field and a shaky MLB performance so far, Seabold is more or less a league-worthy arm that will give the Rockies some depth on the pitching staff, if not a player who could legitimately compete for starting work this spring. Colorado’s rotation will be without Antonio Senzatela to start the season, due to the right-hander’s cruciate ligament rupture late last year, and staff have little certainty beyond the right-hander German Marquez and left Kyle Freiland (both looking for rebound performance anyway). Jose Urena, Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber are the purported leaders, but each recorded an ERA north of 5.00 in 2022.
Seabold also has one minor league option year left. So if he doesn’t win a job outside of camp, he can still be sent to the minors without having to clear waivers first.