Reliever Naoyuki Uwasawa traded to the Boston Red Sox from Tampa Bay Rays for cash

Updated Mar. 28, 2024 1:08 p.m. ET

Associated Press

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Reliever Naoyuki Uwasawa was traded to the Boston Red Sox from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash.

Boston selected the contract of Uwasawa to the 40-man roster before Thursday's opener at Tampa Bay, then optioned him to Triple-A Worcester.

Uwasawa had a 13.03 ERA in 9 2/3 innings over four spring training appearances, allowing 14 runs and 15 hits that included three home runs. He walked eight and struck out nine.

The 30-year-old right-hander agreed in January to a $25,000 signing bonus as part of a minor league contract. He gets a $2.5 million salary while in the major leagues and a $225,000 salary while assigned to the minor leagues. He could earn an additional $900,000 in performance bonuses for innings in the major leagues: $100,000 for 80 innings and each additional 10 through 160.

Tampa Bay owed a release fee of $6,250 to the Pacific League’s Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters.

Uwasawa was 9-9 with a 2.96 ERA in 24 relief appearances last year and has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen since 2018. Uwasawa is 70-62 with a 3.58 in 50 starts and 123 relief appearances over nine seasons with the Fighters.

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