Red Sox Swing 1st Trade of 2026 Season After Blowout Orioles Loss

The Boston Red Sox are on the board in the trade market with a few months to go until the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made it clear publicly that he's been looking around, trying to make moves. The buzz out there has been about trying to add a big bat. ESPN's Buster Olney even said on Thursday that Boston is "signaling to other teams" that it is looking to add a right-handed bat and is willing to take on money.

On Thursday, Boston made its first deal shortly after being blown out by the Baltimore Orioles, 8-2.

Boston fans are going to have to wait a bit longer for offensive help, though. On Thursday, the Red Sox reportedly pulled off their first trade of the season and acquired left-handed reliever Joe La Sorsa from the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH.

"Source: LHP Reliever Joe La Sorsa has been traded to the Red Sox," Alexander wrote. "He will be active tomorrow in New York."

Source: LHP Reliever Joe La Sorsa has been traded to the #RedSox.

He will be active tomorrow in New York. pic.twitter.com/hHbvqwXrBF
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) June 4, 2026

Who Is Joe La Sorsa?

MLB Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Joe La Sorsa | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

This is yet another move in line with what Boston has been trying to do under Breslow. La Sorsa is a big-bodied hurler at 6'5'' and 224 pounds. He was selected in the 18th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays and eventually made his big league debut in 2023. Overall, he has pitched in three big league seasons, but hasn't gotten into a major league game yet this season. He has pitched in 46 total big league games and has a 5.21 career ERA in 57 innings pitched.

So far this season, he has pitched in 22 games down in Triple-A in the Pirates' farm system and has a 3.46 ERA in 26 innings of work. La Sorsa triggered an upward mobility clause over in Pittsburgh before the deal was made. One thing that's interesting about La Sorsa is the fact that he's started two different games down in the minors as an opener this season on April 24 and April 29.

Alexander noted that he will be active when the Red Sox kick off a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Friday. At the end of the day, this isn't the type of move that is going to get Boston fans fired up right now, but it's a solid depth move. The club hasn't announced a corresponding move and it hasn't been reported what Boston gave up. But, another bullpen depth option.

Add us as a preferred source on Google