Dodgers Make Trade For Red Sox Pitcher

The Dodgers acquired Boston Red Sox pitcher Zach Penrod for cash. In a corresponding 40-man roster move, pitcher Roki Sasaki was moved to the 60-day injured list.

Penrod, 28, was designated for assignment by the Red Sox when they acquired Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks from the San Francisco Giants for Rafael Devers on Sunday.

Source: The Dodgers are acquiring left-hander Zach Penrod in a trade with the Red Sox. Penrod, who posted a 2.25 ERA in seven games last season, was recently designated for assignment.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) June 20, 2025

Penrod has a 2.25 ERA in his major league career, which consists of seven games with the Red Sox in 2024. The left-hander made six appearances (two starts) for Triple-A Worcester this season, allowing seven hits and four runs in 6.1 innings.

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In parts of two seasons at Triple-A, Penrod is 4-3 with a 5.88 ERA in 21 games (seven starts).

According to Statcast, Penrod throws a slider and a changeup in addition to a four-seam fastball that averaged 94.8 mph in his seven games last season.

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While the changeup (87.2 mph) and slider (87.5) are both a bit faster than league average, the slider benefits from having more rise than the MLB average as well.

Penrod went undrafted out of Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. The Texas Rangers signed him to his first pro contract in August 2018.

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However, Penrod did not make it out of the Arizona Complex League, and missed the entire 2019 season to Tommy John surgery. The Rangers released him from his minor league contract in June 2020.

In 2021, Penrod signed with the Boise Hawks of the independent Pioneer League; he stayed in the same league and moved to the Billings (Montana) Mustangs for the 2022 season.

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Penrod repeated the Pioneer League to start the 2023 season, with the Missoula Paddleheads, before he signed a minor league contract with the Boston organization in August 2023.

The pitcher said he was contemplating retirement before landing with the Red Sox.

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Penrod went 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA for advanced Class-A Greenville in 2023. That strong showing led to a whirlwind 2024 season, when he advanced all the way from Double-A to the majors in the span of six months.

Sasaki, 23, had not pitched since May 9 because of a right shoulder impingement, and was not expected to appear in a game before he is now eligible to return (July 9).

Penrod is the second pitcher the Dodgers have acquired from the Red Sox via trade this year, joining Noah Davis.

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