Red Sox get Bryant from Cubs

This summer’s trade deadline was like none we’d ever experienced since there was no minor-league baseball going on. Because of that, teams were not allowed to trade players who were not either on their active roster or training at the Alternate Site. So there were a lot more players to be named later than usual. For the most part, Boston had gotten their players to be named later from the deadline, with the return on the Josh Osich deal being the only one left to be complete. That was complete on Saturday, as the team announced they received right-handed pitcher Zach Bryant from the Cubs.

Not really the Bryant making headlines in trade rumors in Chicago all winter. Zach, though, was a 15th round pick by the Cubs in 2019. The righty was a pure reliever in college at Jacksonville University, and kept with that role as a pro. In 2019, he made 12 appearances between Rookie Ball and short-season A-Ball, tossing 21 ¹⁄₃ innings with a 1.27 ERA to go with 24 strikeouts and eight walks. He will serve as bullpen depth in 2021, likely in either Salem or Greenville.

As for Osich, the lefty pitched to an ugly 5.74 ERA in 13 appearances for the Red Sox last summer before being traded. With Chicago he only got into four games, allowing six runs (three earned) over 2 ²⁄₃ innings with four strikeouts and no walks. He has since left the Cubs, signing a minor-league deal with the Reds this winter.