By Jovan Alford | May 28, 2025
The Boston Red Sox have officially moved on from veteran left-hander Sean Newcomb, sending him back to the Oakland Athletics in a trade for cash considerations. The deal comes just days after Newcomb was designated for assignment, marking an abrupt end to his short and rocky tenure with his hometown club.
Newcomb, a native of Brockton, Massachusetts, signed a minor league contract with Boston during the offseason and turned heads during Spring Training with a dominant showing. Over five appearances, he posted a dazzling 0.63 ERA, earning a spot in Boston’s Opening Day rotation as the team dealt with early-season injuries to starters Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello.
However, once the regular season began, the magic disappeared. The 31-year-old lefty made seven starts for the Red Sox and struggled to find consistency. He posted an 0-3 record with a 4.43 ERA, giving up 32 hits, 15 runs (11 earned), and walking 11 batters across 22.1 innings. Opposing hitters had no trouble against him, batting an alarming .348 over that stretch.
With Giolito and Bello returning to the rotation, Newcomb was shifted to the bullpen in hopes he might be more effective in relief. The results were mixed — he posted a respectable 3.06 ERA in six appearances, but batters still hit .306 against him, and he failed to provide the stability the team needed.
Last weekend, the Red Sox designated Newcomb for assignment to make room for Luis Guerrero, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester. At that point, Boston had a week to either trade Newcomb, place him on waivers, or assign him to the minors if he cleared.
Rather than risk losing him for nothing or dealing with a potential outright refusal to a minor league assignment, the Red Sox opted to send him back to the A’s — the team he pitched for during the previous two seasons. While in Oakland, Newcomb posted a 2-1 record and a 4.32 ERA across 14 games, showing flashes of reliability in middle relief roles.
Despite his underwhelming showing in Boston, Newcomb did fulfill a childhood dream by pitching for his hometown team, even if it didn’t pan out as hoped. He’ll now get a fresh start in a familiar environment, and the Athletics are expected to plug him into their struggling bullpen immediately.
For Boston, the move offers roster flexibility and a chance to reevaluate their bullpen structure as the season rolls forward. For Newcomb, it’s an opportunity to reset and prove he still has something to offer at the Major League level.
