The Boston Red Sox are making strategic moves as they aim to strengthen their roster, this time focusing on a notable trade to tweak their pitching lineup. On Monday, the team executed an intriguing 1-for-1 deal that saw them exchange right-handed pitching prospect Luis Perales for left-hander Jake Bennett from the Washington Nationals. Both players are included on the 40-man roster.
This trade, the first significant transaction between Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Paul Toboni, Washington’s newly minted president of baseball operations, represents a “challenge” trade. Both clubs swapped high-caliber pitching prospects with distinct profiles, with neither player having made their major league debut yet.
Jake Bennett, 25, is a promising addition to the Red Sox organization. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 245 pounds, Bennett was listed as Washington’s No. 6 prospect by Baseball America. Drafted in the second round in 2022 from Oklahoma, where he shared the field with fellow Red Sox prospect David Sandlin, Bennett showcased his skills across three levels during the 2025 season, reaching Double-A. He posted an impressive combined 2.27 ERA over 19 starts and struck out 64 batters during 75 ⅓ innings. At Double-A Harrisburg, he maintained a 2.56 ERA while striking out 33 in 45 ⅔ innings.
According to Baseball America’s scouting report, Bennett possesses a versatile array of pitches that contribute to his potential as a solid starter. Although he does not rely on overpowering velocity, Bennett effectively utilizes six different pitches. His fastball improved during the 2025 season, averaging between 92-93 mph and occasionally reaching 96 mph. He combines fastballs with effective sinkers and cutters, while his standout pitch appears to be a mid-80s changeup that consistently befuddles right-handed hitters, who managed only a .210 average against him.
Meanwhile, Perales, who will turn 23 in April, has also been recognized as a top prospect for the Red Sox, previously ranking fifth in their system. The Venezuelan pitcher has faced challenges, including elbow surgery in June 2024, but made a successful return at the end of the 2025 season with appearances at the Triple-A level and in the Arizona Fall League. After healing, Perales saw his fastball velocity reach 101 mph, although control remained an issue.
Breslow has been active, executing seven trades since the end of the previous season, but the team has yet to add any major league free agents. The recent acquisition of Bennett enhances the talent pool available to the Red Sox, giving them more options as they prepare for the upcoming season. Teams often look for such trades as a method to reshape their rosters, and with the potential of both players, this shake-up could very well pay off in the long run for Boston’s pitching staff.