Earlier this year, I asked if Jalen Beeks was ready to pitch in the MLB. The 24-year-old then struggled in spring training one month later which cost him his potential roster spot.
Since then, Beeks has pitched well with the Pawtucket Red Sox, but is it enough to earn him a spot on the active roster?
After finding success on the mound with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2017, Boston promoted Beeks to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. The southpaw seemingly struggled in Pawtucket, but he had pitched one of his best seasons, with a 3.29 ERA and 1.214 WHIP across Pawtucket and Portland.
Beeks posted a 5.06 ERA and 1.690 WHIP in Spring Training in 2018, which led to low expectations for the upcoming season. Throughout eight starts in 2018, Beeks has a 2-2 record with a 1.93 ERA and 0.964 WHIP. One of his losses consisted of three unearned runs while the other loss had Beeks only giving up one earned run.
The Arkansas native only has one thing standing in the way of a potential call-up—the 25 man roster. Beeks could be called up to the majors if one of the pitchers in the Red Sox starting rotation was injured.
However, the Red Sox bullpen already contains two starters, and an injury to one of the main starting pitchers would most likely result in either Brian Johnson or Steven Wright slotting in to the rotation. If this happens, Hector Velazquez would be activated from the disabled list or Marcus Walden would be called up from Pawtucket if a starter went to the disabled list.
With the 25 man roster standing in the way of Beeks being called up, he will most likely make his Major League debut late in the 2018 season as a September call up.
