Red Sox Acquire Righty Reliever Lucas Sims from Reds

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July 30, 2024

The Boston Red Sox are in agreement to acquire righty reliever Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds for minor-league righty Ovis Portes. Sims was the 21st overall pick of the 2012 Draft by the Atlanta Braves out of Brookwood High School in Georgia. This is not the first deadline deal in which Sims was a piece. He spent a season and a half with the Braves before being traded at the deadline to the Reds. Sims was part of a package for outfielder Adam Duvall at the deadline in 2018. That package included Sims, righty Matt Wisler, and outfielder Preston Tucker.

What the Red Sox Acquire in Lucas Sims

Sims has a nasty slider and is able to strike batters out (10.2 K/9 in 2024), but control issues cause walks for the right-hander. Sims owns a walk rate of 5.1 batters per nine innings in 2024. This is higher than his career walk rate of 4.6 batters per nine innings. He’s also allowing more hits per nine innings in 2024 than the norm of his career. His career hits per nine innings mark is 6.9. His 2024 mark is 7.6 hits per nine innings. Combine that with his walk rate and he’s simply allowing too many baserunners in 2024. This is reflected in his WHIP, which is at 1.415 for 2024 (1.281 career).

But there is one thing that Sims does well in 2024 that keeps his ERA relatively low (3.57) for the amount of baserunners he allows. He is able to get out of jams. This is nothing new for the 30-year-old. He’s made a career of it. When he doesn’t get out of the jams, his stats take a beating and so does his team. But when Sims really shines is when he allows fewer baserunners. The skill of escaping jams is great, but not when it needs to be used frequently. In 2020, though a short sampling, Sims allowed 4.6 hits and 3.9 walks per nine innings. His ERA (2.45) and WHIP (0.935) were the lowest of his career.

Sims has the stuff to get outs and the Red Sox seek to acquire someone like that, but he needs to keep his control in check. He has excellent stuff and lots of movement on his pitches.

What the Reds Acquire in Ovis Portes

Portes, 19, split his time in 2024 between Single-A and rookie ball. The right-handed hurler began his career as a starter but currently spends his time in the bullpen. Portes, like Sims, has control issues at times. He walked 15 batters in 21 innings in Single-A in 2024 (1.524 WHIP) and was demoted to rookie ball. His showing in Single-A was not all that bad, however. In his 21 innings, Portes struck out 25 batters (10.7 K/9) and posted an ERA of 3.43 while appearing in seven games (five starts). After the demotion, Portes embraced his move to the bullpen and caught fire, allowing only 2.8 walks and 3.5 hits per nine innings (0.692 WHIP) while striking out 16 batters in 21 innings (11.1 K/9) and saving two games.

One other thing to mention about Portes is that he has yet to allow a homer as a professional pitcher. He has pitched 60 2/3 innings as a professional with zero homers allowed. That statistic alone is relatively remarkable for the young pitcher.

Whether a great statistic or not, it’s not a statistic from the majors. It’s from rookie ball and Single-A. Time will tell whether or not this is a good deal for both sides and time will tell whether either pitcher can keep his control in check.