The Red Sox and Nationals made a swap Monday that won’t grab headlines, but it’s the kind of deal that could matter down the road. Boston acquired left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett from Washington in exchange for right-handed pitcher Luis Perales.
While MLB fans keep refreshing Jeff Passan’s Twitter hoping for news on bigger names like Tarik Skubal, this trade involves two prospects who haven’t sniffed the majors yet.
Bennett’s the more polished piece right now. The 6-foot-6 lefty was Washington’s second-round pick in 2022 out of Oklahoma, and he’s already 25. That makes him older for a prospect, but it also means he’s closer to contributing if things break right.
He posted a 2.56 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A Harrisburg this past season. The Nationals thought enough of his progress to send him to the Arizona Fall League, which is usually reserved for prospects teams want to fast-track.
Perales is more of a projection play. The 22-year-old right-hander reached Triple-A Worcester but missed most of 2024 with an injury. He did make it back for the Arizona Fall League, though the results weren’t pretty – a 10.32 ERA across six outings.
What makes this interesting is the contrasting profiles. Bennett’s the safer bet – a big lefty with a solid track record who could potentially help Boston’s rotation depth sooner rather than later. Perales is younger with more time to develop, but he’s also coming off an injury-shortened season.
These under-the-radar swaps don’t always amount to much. But when one prospect breaks through and the other doesn’t, that’s how organizations find rotation pieces or bullpen arms without giving up premium talent.
For now, it’s just two teams making a Monday move, betting on different types of upside.
