Twins swipe reliever from Red Sox ahead of series finale

Aug 2, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Austin Davis (56) reacts to Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) (not pictured) double in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 2, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Austin Davis (56) reacts to Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) (not pictured) double in the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Twins claim LHP Austin Davis off waivers from Red Sox ahead of series finale

The Minnesota Twins won’t just have former New York Yankees going up against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

Ahead of the series finale, Chris Cotillo reported that the Twins claimed Austin Davis off waivers from the Sox.

Davis, who’d been designated for assignment on Sunday evening along with Hirokazu Sawamura, had a 5.47 ERA over 50 appearances for the Sox this season, including three starts and 10 games finished. While he struck out 61 batters over 54 1/3 innings, he also issued 29 walks and gave up 33 earned runs on 56 hits.

With Davis’ recent struggles and overall mediocre pitching, this isn’t much of a loss. But it is worth noting that Davis could be the third Sox player to go against them this month if he arrives in Minnesota in time for the series finale on Thursday night. The Sox already faced Christian Vázquez, whom they traded to the Houston Astros the day before the August 2 deadline, hours before the first game of the series. Last week, Jackie Bradley Jr. returned to Fenway Park with the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Sox paid him to play against them.

The Sox acquired Davis from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Michael Chavis trade last summer. He leaves Boston with a 5.32 ERA over 69 appearances.

Hopefully, the Twins will bring him in on Thursday night and the Sox can recoup some of the runs he gave up when he was with them. But more likely than not, he’ll pitch a gem of the inning and the Sox will leave the bases loaded to end it.

Update: Minnesota Twins designate Austin Davis for assignment

Barely a week after claiming Davis from the Sox, the Twins have also DFA’ed the struggling pitcher. He only appeared in two games for the club, but allowed three runs over 1 2/3 total innings.

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