6:06pm: The trade has now been announced, with Booser headed to Chicago in exchange for right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo. To make room for Booser on the club’s 40-man roster, the White Sox designated Corey Julks for assignment. Fajardo, 18, posted a 3.91 ERA in 13 starts during the Dominican Summer League this year. Julks, 28, hit .214/.275/.306 in 66 games with the White Sox this year.
4:01pm: The White Sox and Red Sox are in agreement on a deal that will send left-hander Cam Booser to Chicago, according to a report from Robert Murray of Fansided. The return headed to Boston in exchange for Booser’s services is not yet clear, though James Fegan of Sox Machine reports that a minor league player is the return and Chris Cotillo of MassLive further clarifies that the return is expected to be a minor league pitcher.
Booser, 33 in May, made his big league debut with the Red Sox back in April. After kicking off his professional career with the Twins in 2013, he climbed the minor league ladder but hit a wall in High-A during the 2017 season. He eventually resurfaced in independent ball in 2021 and bounced between indy ball and the minor leagues for the Diamondbacks until joining the Red Sox organization for the 2023 season.
Once he finally made his big league debut last year, he pitched quite well for the club with a 3.38 ERA in 42 2/3 innings of work with a 23.5% strikeout rate with an 8.7% walk rate. That was good for a solid 3.80 FIP, though an elevated 80% strand rate and a low 8.3% home-run-to-fly-ball ratio suggest the possibility of some regression in Booser’s profile as represented by a 3.92 SIERA and a 4.40 xFIP. Despite his somewhat questionable peripherals and an unusual path to the big leagues, however, Booser profiled as a quality middle relief option from the left side.
With Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson already added to the bullpen from the left side in Boston and Brennan Bernadino in the fold as a more established lefty option as well, Booser had become somewhat expendable for the Red Sox. That’s evidently led him to join the White Sox bullpen, where he joins former Yankees reliever Ron Marinaccio among external additions this winter. Booser figures to be much higher on the lefty relief depth chart in Chicago than he would’ve been in Boston, as he trades the competition of established veterans like Chapman and Wilson out for less established arms like Jared Shuster and Fraser Ellard.
I’ve been waiting for this!
Thank god the Sox have continued to add to their collection of players that don’t matter. If only rosters could exceed 40 of them….
roob: You don’t think a guy who struggled to get past High A and ended up in the Independent League isn’t going to elevate the Sox to only 120 losses next season?
The Sox seem to be taking everyone else’s rejects . I guess the money just isn’t there for quality players
So the White Sox trade a potential starter/ace for a guy whose prime was long past?
I get the Prospects are just that, and there are no guarantees that they will be anything, but for a 33 yr old?! With the sole premise of flipping him? For what, another such prospect? Just silly move for a silly org (White Sox to be clear)
Red Sox win this deal every day, even if this kid does not pan out, unless several miracles occur and Booser somehow gets the last out of a White Sox World series victory. .
Please be Andrew Bennetti and cash.
Citizen – I’d rather it be Valerie Bertinnetti.
or Valerie Bertinelli.
Benintendi will likely be on the move for a club who wants a cheap corner OF alternative to the $ and years Santander seeks. He’s got 3/49.3. I’m sure JR would be satisfied if someone took on say 33mil and they eat the other 1/3.
He looked good late last year on a discount for someone.
did you say cheap. now you’re getting henry excited.
No one is taking on that contract or even most of it. He stinks.
Yeah right
Clearing a 40 man spot for Sandoval.
Sandoval should be on the 60 day IR, so they wouldn’t need to make room for him yet.
Can’t go on the 60 day list until spring training.
Can’t place a player in the IR until the season begins
There is no 60-day IL this time of year. Can’t put someone on that until ST starts.
Ken – Opening Day is when the IL comes into play.
Do they have to finalize the deal now? I assume so as without it being inked, he probably can’t use the medical and training facilities.
angryyankeefan, sorry, you were correct! Ah what do I know.
They’re signing the Panda? That would be cool.
Booster is elite and will win reliever of the year
Booster Schott?
Forget about the fact he’ll be 33 in May. He has one career save under his belt. Look out, Mariano!
Booser’s job is to pitch well and with a higher body of work if he pitched well, the White Sox will flip him for a better prospect than they gave the Red Sox who apparently didn’t want to remove someone else from the 40 man roster.
The Sox will get nothing for a 33 year old, especially with Katz ‘instructing’ him.
Well, they may get cash for him, which will ‘The Chairman’ get a slight stiffy.
Forgot to add him to the crochet package? Or is this the magic piece that prys robert away?? Lol
Poolhalljunkies: You think you’re kidding?
80 grade name.
Drinking with Cam is always fun.
Couldn’t have got this guy when La Russa was there?
Well that’s a very well-adjusted joke.
Nice bullpen upgrade. Granted, the rotation is still totally unsettled but Getz appears to be exercising improved judgement on his acquisitions compared to last offseason. Now the White Sox need to prove they’re capable of developing young players. Hopefully Getz is smart enough to realize his weaknesses and step back from that last project.
dankyank: New to baseball, are you?
Can’t develop young players when you just give them away to Boston.
Booser was one of my favorite stories in MLB last year. As a Red Sox fan, I hate to see him go. Best of luck to him on the south side of Chicago.
I was thinking the same thing. A bit disappointed with this move and afraid when they start needing help in the bullpen they will regret it.
It feels very similar to when they traded John Schrieber last offseason, another move I wasn’t in favor of.
Thank heavens.I got rid of boozer, with tanner, scott coming on board.
Interesting I did not see any news indicating the Red Sox were close to signing Tanner Scott. Do you have some inside information or are you just hoping? Booser was one of the feel good stories last year, not sure why you are so excited to see him traded as his numbers over the small sample size we saw were pretty solid.
For those of us unfamiliar what’s his back story – what’s his motivation, is he a method actor like that cray cray who played Lincoln
Booser’s sister is dating sasaki. This is going to be a steal. Elite closer and elite starter for a vending machine.
Booser was a real favorite of Cora. Might this trade indicate there’s a new sheriff at Fenway?
Gomez – If there was a new sheriff in Fenway Cora would have been in the deal!!!
“A minor league player” can be interesting depending on who said player is..better than nothing
Went to high school and college with Cam, I feel so bad for him heading to the white Sox. He was so stoked to be on the Red Sox
I know I loved his story. Hope he gets a good opportunity there.
If Cam pitches well he will not be on the team long as he will be likely traded to a contender by the deadline (if not before). He just has to do his job.. That and strike out a LOT of guys as the defense behind his will be its usual shaky self.
F U Boston and your understanding of how to compete in the AL East. And your BS about going for it. You no longer can be viewed as having a clue on what those words mean in relationship to players on the field. Nobody in RSNation is investing in this dogshit
Lol really? Over this…this was your final straw..i find that hilarious
Im sorry but you really think dealing cam booser for a lottery ticket to make room on the 40 man as nice a story as he is..represents not going for it?..thats just hysterical
Pool – Wait you think they are going for it because of this? hahaha
This kid is a turd. He’s a pretender. He’s all hype and no substance. He’ll be on the DFA list before Mayer. If he was in the draft next year nobody would take him.
Here’s the funny part, Booser and this kid will be working at Target in a couple of years and THUS YOU HAVE WHY ANOTHER MOVE LIKE THIS SENDS FANS OVER THE EDGE!!!!
Let’s stop swapping scraps from the garbage cans behind the diner and start talking about impact players.
Baseballguru – COMPLETELY AGREE!!!!
Sag ..my point was this irrelevant to whether they are going for it or not and anyone reading anything into this tranasaction is funny to me..look at you getting all bent out of shape writing in caps
No way Booser is working at Target . He was a good carpenter before the mlb. Good carpenters are hard to find . Like John Henry’s wallet to sign a legit player.
Saga it’s impossible to know this kid is since he only pitched in the DSL. He will come stateside this season along with Dalvinson Reyes another guy that will come stateside. One thing I am sure of losing Booser doesn’t move the needle one way or another he was a good story but his fastball despite good velocity was hit pretty hard his sweeper was his best pitch. I would hope that Boston would have better options out of the bullpen and he would have been depth in AAA. I guess it came down to Booser and Bernadino as to who was going to get dfa for Sandoval on the 40 man and we know Cora lobbied hard for his binky Bernadino. Statistically you’re probably right the dsl kid they got probably never makes it.
Booser dime a dozen easily replaced. A+++ trade win for Boston.
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!
You were buying your WS based on a 33 Y.O. career minor leaguer who finished the year with a 6/7 K/W in the final two months.
Wow!
Wow. Breslow continuing with moves that I hate for the off-season.
We must be on different wavelengths. I can’t see how this is beneficial to the Red Sox.
Breslow had no choice to make this trade. When someone gives you a Christmas gift this big you have to accept it.
Yesterday, a dead armed pitcher and today a pitcher to be named later. Now they are in hot pursuit of randall, grichek
Wow, we’re really rolling this off-season.
White Sox sign Verlander, Scherzer, and Kershaw……
Merry Christmas Cam hahaha
Cam is probably happy he will be pitching for the White Sox instead of being stashed in the Red Sox AAA.
all: He might be happy now but playing for the Sox will knock that out of him.
Boston stole Fajardo. What a coup! WhiteSox add to losing streak
I would become a cubs fan after this trade.
Idiot RS fans won’t have the foggiest idea of who this is.
And neither do I, but he is certainly a cut above the usual international draftees, and had an excellent season. I’m surprised the WS traded him for a 33 yo.
The White Sox will now win 45 games next season!
“Fajardo has been a standout 17-year-old arm in the DSL this season. He throws primarily a two-pitch fastball/slider combination. The fastball has touched the mid-90s and the slider sits more in the low-80s with late bite. It’s a raw profile, but Fajardo already touches the mid-90s and should be able to add a tick or two more to that as he fills out his 6-3 frame. The two-pitch mix has generated a ton of strikeouts in the DSL this season. Across 50.2 innings of work, Fajardo struck out 64 batters. He pitched to a 2.50 FIP and walked just eight batters in the process. He commands the strike zone well with an easily repeatable delivery but will have to round out the pitch mix to find more success stateside. He allowed a .256 BAA and will have to improve that in the Complex League once he makes his way there.”
prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2024/8/20/one-und…
He isn’t Tatis prospect level but this could end up being Tatis 2.0 Why would a not contending team give up a prospect with this ceiling?
YourDreamGM – Simple…. his ceiling doesn’t exist yet. HYPE is high but skills aren’t. Look at his average numbers in a bad DSL league.
He’s old enough to be in the draft next year. Would he be in the top 100 picked? If not, then why is his ceiling so high?
Because of marketing for a guy like Breslow who is a pure gambler. Those two words “HIGH CEILING” make Breslow dance like a marionette.
If you say so.
Yeah, but the White Sox are going nowhere so giving up on a guy like this for a 33 year old reliever is a bit stupid, but on par with what the White Sox org does. .. Maybe Kenny Williams snuck back into the building (or they never removed his access to the system) to make this trade.
Thanks for this, I was not expecting this good of a prospect to come back, maybe I need to rethink my disappointment in losing Booser.
Wow hes 17?
Just turned 18 after last season. The White Sox signed him earlier this year for $400K.
So all he is doing is changing his Sox. Not bad.
This was prolly all about a 40 man spot.
So the Sox trade a Booser to the Sox for a Yhoiker? I guess the Julks on them…
I like Fajardo for Boston. Nice arm for a rebuilding team to give up. So far away and a lot of projection but still.
YourDreamGM – How about lots of years to potentially turn into a decent prospect but nothing that suggests he will. It’s a bit more realistic.
As opposed to the 33 year old whose ceiling has come and gone? What are you related to Booser or something?
nrd1138 – Precisely. I’m not excited about this deal from either side because both parts are meaningless. Just another day at the office for the Boston Red Sox.
Who will be tomorrow’s irrelevant move of the day? Sounds like the CWS may be very similar. Hey at least Booser will be around and then DFA’d. This kid will struggle and disappear and then be DFA’s and we’ll be asking ourselves “WHO?”
Boosers in front office.
“roob” is a gutless imbecile.
From a 2024 White Sox DSL season review:
“One clear standout for the season was Yhoiker Fajardo, who at age 17 (still!) and nearly two years younger than level took on a full starting load of 13 games on the island and essentially stood for four innings per start — i.e., superior to fellow young-armed Noah Schultz. Two other comparable regular starters paled next to Fajardo. The righty was also the only pitcher in the system aside from Schultz who ranked in the Top 10 in K- and BB-rate — in fact topping the org with a miniscule 1.42 walks per 9. While a pre-19 assignment to Arizona would be a bold play, Fajardo was challenged all season and met everything well (3.91 ERA, 1.184 WHIP); if his makeup is as good as his results, he’ll be in the ACL next summer with an additional tag of Rising Star Arm.”
fansfirstsports.com/sox-populi/2024-dsl-white-sox-…
All – So the PR department of the White Sox pumped this kid up? That is surprising to you?
Look at his numbers, we are trading dumpster dives. The DSL league isn’t as good as travel baseball for high school players. He probably wouldn’t start in a HS that is ranked in a baseball state.
Sorry, but you believe everything you read and don’t consider the source.
Public Relations hypes a guy and you believe it. Then they tell you where he played and it’s not a tough league for a 17 year old and he did average at best. I’m sorry this is an absolutely meaningless deal but as always I love your enthusiasm
LOL! No, I don’t believe everything I read. For example, I don’t believe most of your posts.
All – What’s there to believe? I list lots and lots of facts. You don’t believe facts? You dispute the accuracy of Baseball Reference? That seems silly. They are the official stats of the MLB!!
If you don’t believe when I explain how the MLB works, that’s on you. What could I possibly gain from telling you about how Public Relations works or any of the other MLB concepts that have existed for decades? What would be in it for me except me trying to educate you since you seem like a nice kid. A bit too trusting, but a nice kid.
$400k to an international prospect does imply that the kid has some tools. Still, he’s too far away to be anything but a lottery ticket at this point.
stymeedone – Agreed. Somebody in the organization liked him. Why? We don’t know. Could be a relative of another good or great player. Could be a kid who trained with the scout. Too hard to tell so he’s pretty much an unknown prospect except the data recorded on his performance in the DSL. His age puts him at the high school senior age level so he’d be in the draft in 2025 as a senior in high school if he was from the US. The money spent doesn’t really help us with placing him in the draft class.
That’s why I can’t get excited about this deal. Too many unknowns.
Super! Another cast off from another organization! Another player with negative performance sent packing. The best way to get rid of the just going thru the motions team of last year was to cut almost every player that suited up other than some of the rookies and a few vets. Needed 15 players to make the team that suited up for another team in 2024. They are well on their way to losing less than 100 games in 2025.
Ham – OK I’ll bite!! A potential ace? Why? Point to any number that suggest that!!! You have a kid the age of a teenager that would be in the draft next year except he’s foreign.
He’s playing in a league that would be dominated by great high school teams from the US. So think of him as a 3 to 5 starter with kids his own age from a good baseball program in the US.
Again, point to ANY number that suggests potential ace!!! The kid is an unknown quantity that does not compare favorable with high school pitchers in the 2025 draft.
Well he has more potential to be an Ace than the 33 year old reliever they traded for him
nrd1138 – Again, I agree. FYI… you have as much potential as that 33 year old reliever or the kid. That’s how insignificant this deal is.
Yeah, but it definitely has far more upside than the White Sox are getting, Red Sox fans should be thrilled with this trade.
nrd1138 – I guess you are missing the point. People should be thrilled when talent is added. Swapping two crap players shouldn’t thrill either side even if one side gets the less crappy player!!
No you are missing the point, The Red Sox get a development kid who has a high ceiling, vs a guy who was only going to get worse, and a reliever at that…
I see people being worked up off over giving up a 33 year old for a kid with potential.. I guess you cannot please some people no matter what.
Yeah, he may not pan out, but again look what is going to the White Sox, People are upset? Why? The guy is 33 and a reliever, and not talking about Scherzer or Verlander at 33, but a no name who just broke into the big leagues…
For example, look at the White Sox, going nowhere for many years now, and trades like this help little if ever, an miser of an owner who is too busy trying to get another free stadium when he is not meddling with the club over his VP and GM (who also let his VP make moves behind the GMs back). Then blamed and fired those two (even though he meddled in the rebuild bringing in LaRussa and stabbing Renteria in the back) in lieu of a guy in Getz who ‘learned’ from both (basically learned little) and then made a trade like this.
The Red Sox traded an old guy for a younger guy with potential… Man… Red Sox fans have it TOUGH…..
nrd1138 – You have one key fact wrong. The Red Sox traded an old guy who was worthless for a young guy who is worthless. How that is better for Boston is not clear to me. To me it’s a draw. Nobody wins and the entire trade was a waste of time and energy.
I lived in Chicago many years and I appreciate your pain with their front office but the last five years in Boston have been worse because we had talent and tore it down. It’s been like the Chicago Bulls and Krause here in Boston. Remember how frustrating that was or the SuperBowl Bears and how they wouldn’t keep Wilbur Marshall? I’ve been through this crap 3 times and I’ve watched the White Sox front office fail for more than 50 years!. I do understand your frustration.
Well The White Sox feel it now, the Red Sox still have a few years to really see how their side pans out.
The ownership in Chicago is just awful. Im not sure if we are truly cursed at this point, or just destined to be a laughing stock for the rest of the leagues in this country.
Though if that packer creep doesn’t assault McMahon the Bears likely repeat in 86-87, but that is a long time ago.. Lots of frustration on the football side of things, especially now. Just a real bad time to be a fan in Chicago where we only have ‘next year’ to look forward to.
Ham – Are you an expert scout? Because if you are that might have meaning to me. Otherwise, you are simply entitled to your opinion but without a reference point, it’s just some guys opinion. That’s why data documenting performance is helpful in evaluating players. There are lots of self proclaimed experts on this site that thinking watching a showcase event or a meaningless minor league game gives them deep insight into the future of a raw prospect.
Thanks for verifying that it’s just your opinion.
Ham – Hey, a person with a vocabulary. That’s impressive.
Now, as far as the name calling, that just shows a lack of class.
A high school player has his stats. He probably also has a set of stats tied to his elite travel team. You can see where he’s played and against what level of competition. You can see whether the kid played at a high school which competes at a high level like the one Arenado and Chapman went to or whether he went to a school with only 100 boys in the senior class. There is lots to learn about US high school players that can’t be accessed about international players.
You clearly are showing your ignorance about high school evaluations along with your lack of knowledge of evaluating international prospects.
Most comments are opinions unless the comment is documenting the performance of the player from a legitimate baseball data source like Baseball Reference. Then, it’s not opinion it is fact.
You made a bold statement, I didn’t recognize your handle so I gave you the benefit of the doubt and asked if you were a professional scout. You act like that was somehow disrespectful when in fact it was just the opposite, it was respectful because I don’t know you. Clearly, you didn’t deserve that level of respect and I won’t make the mistake again.
You are fully entitled to your opinions. I have no issue with you thinking anyone is better than they are or worse than they are. Now that we know you are one of those guys who watch a player and think they know his future, I can ignore the comments just like I do the other guys full of themselves about their amateur player evaluation skills.
Still waiting….not patiently for the raise of the ceiling to happen!!!
This sure does nothing to even raise a speck of dust off the top of the dumpster lid.
Didn’t see that coming. I guess there’s something coming down very soon if they needed an open roster spot.
Weird that the team trying to compete is the side trading ready talent for a prospect.
Or are they trying to compete…
Pretty good chance would not have made the roster.
Assuming that Wilson makes the team, then Booser would have to beat out Bernardino, Priester, Kelly and Shugart. And that assumes that we don’t add another real RP.
Not to mention Fulmer
The Red Sox had to move a 40 man player for a non roster player. White Sox need arms to get them thru next season. Boozer will pitch for the WS. Long shot that Farardo ever pitches for the RS, but it beats losing a player for nothing.
Good news for Booser. He goes from maybe a 50% chance of making the RS roster to almost 100% chance of making the WS roster. Keep running up that service time.
He’s 33.. I did not realize that 33 year olds have not peaked yet in baseball. The White Sox gave up a prospect for this guy. I have no problem trading prospects, I get that they are not guaranteed to be anything. However, when you are the White Sox org, with a team clearly going nowhere for at least a few years, AND give you give up such a player for a 33 year old reliever that likely will just be traded for ANOTHER low rung prospect with a chance to be good, then the org and the people running it are just flat out dumb. You trade prospects for above average players with ceiling, not to just flip foe the same later, and not 33 year olds just trying to stay at the major league level at this point.
Agreed it’s hard to explain this trade from a White Sox point of view. I’m thinking *maybe* the Red Sox wanted Fajardo in the Crochet trade and the White Sox agreed, but wanted to do that later so their return for Crochet looked even better.
Booser also have 5 years of cheap control as well btw.
I like the trade for the RS, but it could work out of the WS. Booser can strike guys out. It’s not impossible to put together 2-3 months of decent pitching.
Yeah, but 2-3 months of what appears to be relief work, vs a kid with potential to be a starter at some point, and for what? The White Sox are doing nothing this season. Even if they get some breaks they may be a .500 club if they are lucky, and that they will likely still be the doormat of the AL Central. Plus, unless this guy is completely lights out, the only return they will get is for a guy like they gave up (and even if he is lights out), it just makes little sense. These guys you get for cash, not for prospects.
@Aiden… you DO realize he is 33 right? How bad do White Sox fans have it when they are looking at an ‘upside’ of 5 years of control of a guy who is past their prime and will have increasing diminished returns?
He only has to replicate his first four months of 2024 to be worth a positive return. I don’t think it will happen, but there is a decidedly non-zero chance that it does happen.
nrd1138: Yes I realize he’s 33 years old, also a cool comeback story how get got to the MLB. Wsox bullpen was one of several reasons they lost 121 games. They need more hitters especially a lack of quality outfielders.
If he were to have a career season, then he could be worth a compensation draft pick, plus a hitter and a pitcher. Like the Gregory Santos deal(also had 5 years of control).
Aiden: Thanks, I needed that laugh. Oh wait, you’re serious? A 33 year old reliever getting the Sox all of that? Uhhh, OK.. Its always good to dream I guess.