BOSTON — The Red Sox made a pair of moves as the trade deadline came and went Monday afternoon, sending outfielder Kevin Pillar to the Rockies and left-handed reliever Josh Osich were dealt to the Cubs.
Colorado is contending for one of two available wild-card spots in the National League while Chicago currently tops the N.L. Central.
Boston received a player to be named for both Pillar and Osich. The Red Sox also received international bonus pool money for Pillar. Boston sent cash to the Rockies in the Pillar trade to cover the pro-rated portion of his one-year, $4 million deal.
Pillar, 31, is joining his fourth team since being traded on April 2, 2019, from the Toronto Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants. He signed a deal with Boston in February. He batted .274 with four homers and 13 RBI in 30 games for the Red Sox. He played a bulk of this season in right field, a spot occupied in Colorado by Charlie Blackmon.
Pillar figures to spend time in center field with David Dahl currently on the injured list. In 12 career games at Coors Field, Pillar has a .326 average with one homer and seven RBI.
“We’re hoping that Kevin can come in and provide a spark to our offense and play an above-average center field in a park that demands it,” Rockies Manager Bud Black said. “He’s an aggressive, hard-nosed player. He’s a leader. I know it’s used a lot, but he’s a gamer.”
Black sees Pillar hitting all over the batting order – from leadoff to the No. 8 spot – just like he did in Boston. More than anything, Black appreciates Pillar’s grit.
“It’s more about the player and the winning type of game he brings every day,” Black said. “He plays hard. He’ll dive. He’ll crash into walls. He’ll try to steal a base. He’ll break up two. His style is his style. For me, from the other side watching him over the years, it’s a winning type of player.”
Pillar was originally drafted by Toronto in the 32nd round of the 2011 draft. He’s a career .261 hitter and has five seasons with double-digit steals, including 25 in 2015.
Osich turns 32 on Thursday and makes it three clubs in three years after previous time with San Francisco and the White Sox. He was an offseason waiver claim by Boston and appeared in 13 games, covering 15 2/3 innings. Left-handed hitters are 6 for 26 against him with one walk and nine strikeouts.
Both players to be named coming to the Red Sox must be selected from the 60-man player pools compiled by Colorado and Chicago. That figures to make those players either an improved prospect or someone who has played toward the upper level of the minor leagues. Marco Hernandez and Josh Taylor were players to be named in previous Red Sox deals, involving Felix Doubront and Deven Marrero, respectively.
The Red Sox made four trades in all this month, shipping out five veterans. Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree were sent to the Phillies for right-handed starters Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold. Mitch Moreland left for the Padres in exchange for minor leaguers Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario. None of the players Boston received are currently on the 28-man roster.
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