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The Cubs have made a trade with the Red Sox, as they’ve added yet another right-handed pitcher to their growing list of guys who will compete for bullpen spots this season on the North Side.
Travis Lakins, 25, made his MLB debut with the Red Sox in 2019, is now with the Cubs.
The right-hander made 16 total appearances last season with Boston, including three starts. In all, Lakins recorded a 3.86 ERA striking out 18 and walking 10 in 23.1 innings. Drafted in the sixth round out of Ohio State by the Red Sox in 2015, Lakins has pitched both as a starter and reliever throughout his minor league career.
Before he was called up by the Red Sox, Lakins was one of their top-30 prospects.
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Here’s a brief scouting report on Lakins from MLB Pipeline.
Lakins had four legitimate pitches as a starter but focuses on two as a reliever. His upper-80s cutter is his bread and butter, and he plays it off a 92-95 mph fastball that can hit 97 with some modest life. His downer curveball showed flashes of becoming a plus offering when he used it more in the past season, and his fading changeup had its moments as well.
Working in shorter stints, Lakins demonstrates better control and command than he did as a starter. He has a strong, athletic frame and a sound delivery, so he should be durable, but the Red Sox didn’t have him pitch on consecutive days in 2018. He proved he could handle a heavier bullpen workload this year and made his big league debut in April.
Here’s a look at his stuff.
Late last week the Cubs also made a trade for a pitcher, acquiring Casey Sadler from the Dodgers.
The Cubs’ 40-man roster is up to 40 after the trade for Lakins.
