Jorge Alcala's Rollercoaster: From Twins Hopeful to Red Sox DFA
The baseball world is full of surprises, and the story of Jorge Alcala is a prime example. Once a promising reliever for the Minnesota Twins, Alcala's journey has taken a sharp turn, leading to his recent designation for assignment (DFA) by the Boston Red Sox.
Earlier in the season, projections suggested the Twins boasted one of baseball's strongest bullpens. However, a trade deadline sell-off left them searching for reliable arms. Alcala, initially part of that promising group, was traded to Boston.
Now, the Red Sox have decided to move on after just 19 games. Following a disastrous outing, Red Sox manager Alex Cora commented on Alcala's struggles, stating, "The stuff was good. He wasn’t able to throw strikes... we needed to make a change."
Prior to his trade, Alcala pitched in 22 games for the Twins. His time in Boston was short-lived, marked by inconsistency. While his ERA with the Red Sox was a respectable 3.31, his Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) was a concerning 5.56, even higher than his 5.45 FIP with the Twins. He also surrendered four home runs in just 16 1/3 innings, highlighting a persistent issue.
While Alcala showed flashes of brilliance early on, allowing only five runs (one earned) in his first 14 appearances, his last five outings proved to be his undoing. His struggles with command, reflected in his career 4.2 BB/9 since 2022, consistently put him in difficult situations.
The Twins might be looking for relief help, and Ryan Pressly, who they originally traded to Houston for Alcala, might be available. It remains to be seen if Minnesota would want their former pitcher back, but the Red Sox have made their decision.