MLB PLAYER NEWS

Brewers send Thornburg to Boston for Shaw, others

The Sports Xchange

December 06, 2016 at 11:08 am.

Sep 15, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 15, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Tyler Thornburg throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Thornburg is headed to the Boston Red Sox after the Milwaukee Brewers traded the right-handed reliever for third baseman Travis Shaw, minor league shortstop Mauricio Dubon and minor league righty Josh Pennington.

Multiple outlets reported the trade on Tuesday, and ESPN confirmed it.

“It’s been real Boston. Excited for the opportunity ahead of me in Milwaukee! Looking forward to this next chapter of my career! #Brewers,” Shaw wrote on his Twitter account.

Thornburg, 28, helps bolster the back end of the Red Sox’s bullpen with free agents Koji Uehara and Brad Ziegler unsure to return. Thornburg is 14-9 with a 2.87 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 144 games over five seasons.

In 2016, Thornburg totaled 13 saves while going 8-5 with a 2.15 ERA in 67 appearances. Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski previously said he wanted to acquire a bullpen arm with closing experience.

Shaw, 26, beat out Pablo Sandoval to win the Red Sox’s starting job at third base last season. Shaw hit .242 with 16 homers and 71 RBIs in 145 games. He is a lifetime .251 hitter with 29 homers and 107 RBIs.

Shaw’s departure seems to indicate the Red Sox will stick with Sandoval at third next season. The former World Series MVP missed most of the 2016 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in early May.

ALL  |  NFL  |  College Football  |  MLB  |  NBA