WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A couple of years ago, Drew Pomeranz pitched in the All-Star Game. The next time he took a major league mound it wasn't for the team he had been representing, going from the Padres to the Red Sox.
It was the reason most in Boston cared a lick when Pomeranz came in the game for the National League.
Tuesday night, Brad Hand might be this year's Pomeranz.
The Red Sox are combing the big leagues for a high-end reliever, not only one that fills the bill for this season's home stretch, but also a potential closer if Craig Kimbrel leaves town via free agency after the season. Hand, San Diego's closer who is under team control for the next three seasons, checks all the boxes.
"I didn't get a no-trade so obviously, they are going to continue to talk about it," said Hand regarding the trade rumors. "We're not doing that great this year so obviously the contenders are going to be looking for bullpen help. Last year I felt like I saw it more and I didn't end up getting traded. I feel like I saw it a lot last year. I felt like I was going to get traded last year, but since I didn't I don't know what to expect."
Hand is a left-handed reliever who is making his second straight All-Star appearance. He has revitalized his career after being waived by Miami in 2016, saving 21 games last year for the Padres, and 24 heading into the All-Star break this time around.
The Minnesota native has been to Fenway Park twice in his life. The first time as part of a tour of Northeast ballparks after attending Kirby Puckett's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001, and then as a member of the Marlins.
Hand offers a wipe-out slider with a mid-90's fastball that possessed the third-best spin rate of any left-hander in baseball last season. He is good and cheap, which was why teams played this game heading into last season's non-waiver trade deadline, as well.
"(Padres general manager AJ Preller) sat me down a few days before the deadline last year and told me what's going on and what his thoughts were. That was two days before the deadline," Hand remembered. "We'll see."
But because all of the aforementioned qualities, if the Red Sox do want this guy it's going to cost them some of their most prized minor league assets. And it would be assumed they would be pegging this guy as their closer going forward. It would be a move that wouldn't be without risks.
Hand hasn't been the lock-down guy of late most viewed him as to begin the season. Over the last month (nine outings) his ERA stands at 8.00 with a .341 batting average against. He has given up at least one hit in all but one of those appearances, allowing a run or more in five of them, as well.
"I see some of the rumors. I don't see all of them. I feel like my wife pays attention to it more," Hand said. "I can't really control anything, so we'll see what happens at the end of the month."
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