Red Sox's Trade Steal From Nationals Marks Another Offseason Win

Jake Bennett looks a lot better than expected...

Jun 27, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Jake Bennett (64) pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

For all the bellyaching about the Boston Red Sox's recent losses in terms of roster construction, there sure have been some solid moves in the last calendar year.

One of the more underrated deals the Red Sox made came back in December, when the club swapped top pitching prospects with the Washington Nationals. Luis Perales went to the Nats, while the Red Sox brought in Jake Bennett.

On Saturday, Bennett put up his second-straight outstanding start -- a 6 1/3-inning, three-hit tour de force against the archrival New York Yankees. It was his second major league win, and it came in a game where the Red Sox teased everyone with what this season could have been if all went according to plan.

Jake Bennett deal looks like a major win

Jun 22, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Jake Bennett (64) pitches in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

To be fair, Bennett still has just 33 major league innings under his belt, and a 3.27 ERA is just good, not great. But since returning from Triple-A on June 10, he's got a 2.78 ERA with a 2.36 FIP in four starts. He's also upped his whiff and strikeout rates considerably since that promotion and looks to have three above-average pitches to rely upon.

Meanwhile, Anthony Seigler hit his first major league home run on Saturday against the Yankees' Gerrit Cole. Seigler was one of the three players the Red Sox acquired in the deal that sent Kyle Harrison to the Milwaukee Brewers, which still looks like the worst move Boston made this offseason on paper, but has become much more justifiable of late.

Perales, meanwhile, has just 44 strikeouts in 55 innings at Triple-A in the Nationals organization, sporting a mediocre ERA of 4.42. He was an arm the Red Sox were excited about for a long time, but chief baseball officer Craig Breslow chose the bigger pitcher with more extension over the smaller, harder-throwing Perales.

Certainly, this season has gone poorly enough that most roster construction critiques are reasonable. But it is odd, perhaps even eerie, how many of the Red Sox's offseason moves (e.g. Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Ranger Suárez) seem to be paying off quickly.