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The Boston Red Sox Tuesday, November 24, 2020 * The Boston Globe Red Sox pitching prospect Jeremy Wu-Yelland eager for next steps after layoff Julian McWilliams Jeremy Wu-Yelland just wanted to get back on the baseball diamond. The Red Sox’ 2020 fourth-round draft selection saw his season at the University of Hawaii come to an abrupt halt because of COVID-19. The lefthanded pitcher then saw the minor league season evaporate. His year, much like the world surrounding him, was governed by uncertainty. So when the 21-year-old finally felt some sense of normalcy during instructional league, he savored the moment. “It was great to be back on a baseball field,” Wu-Yelland said recently by phone. “That was a big part, just being able to do something during this time.” Wu-Yelland endured more than a six-month layoff from seeing live hitters. Any time a player tries to get reacclimated after such a break, it requires some sort of progression. But under these circumstances, that holds especially true. “It took a couple weeks to [find a rhythm], and being out there again was a big part of that,” Wu-Yelland said. “The Red Sox did a good job building us up and making sure we’re ready to go. “It’s a bit of a curve, and it goes up pretty quick. After my first few days out there, it felt like I got my feet back under me.” Wu-Yelland made four appearances, easing his way to a maximum of 55 pitches and 2-3 innings. Wu- Yelland’s electric arm was on display during his outings, in which he topped out at 97 miles per hour. Red Sox scouting director Paul Toboni saw it first-hand, adding that he sat comfortably at 95-96. “The fastball plays at least plus,” said Toboni, who also noted that Wu-Yelland has an elite slider and throws an elite changeup when he goes to it. “There’s significant promise there.” Wu-Yelland really piqued the Sox’ interest while playing in the Cape Cod League. In the summer of 2019, he tossed 25⅔ innings, striking out 26 and posting a 3.15 ERA. His big arm was on display, but now, the next step in Wu-Yelland’s development lies in his ability to not rely just on his power. “I think he’s going to have to figure out how to throttle back a little bit,” Toboni said. “Because he’s so powerful and so competitive right now. It’s just go, go, go. “But he’s got such good stuff. I think if he can just throttle it back a little bit, he’s going to be really, really good.” There’s a fine line, of course. Oftentimes it’s hard for younger pitchers to strike that balance between power and touch. In Wu-Yelland’s case, he recognizes that the middle ground would allow him to tap into his potential. “I think it goes both ways,” Wu-Yelland said. “Most of my pitching career, I’ve been told that my stuff is so good that it’s hard to hit. With that being said, I have to fill up the zone, get ahead of guys, and put myself in a position to keep guys off-balance or uncomfortable.” But throttling it back is better than not having the luxury to do so. “I’d have that problem, then, you know, guys hitting me too much,” he said. Wu-Yelland is hopeful that a minor league season is ahead of him. With minor leaguers losing a year of development, Wu-Yelland understands that pitching in live games is the ultimate test. It’s something he’s up for. “I’m more excited just to get working and see how I actually perform,” he said. * The Boston Herald Red Sox ‘showing interest’ in veteran starter J.A. Happ, per report Steve Hewitt The Red Sox are in dire need of starting pitching help this winter, and they’re reportedly in on a former Yankee. The Sox are “showing interest” in veteran left-hander J.A. Happ, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. The Yankees declined the 38-year-old Happ’s $17 million option, making him a free agent. The Angels and Blue Jays have also reportedly shown interest in Happ. Happ’s best days are behind him, but he had a solid 2020, going 2-2 with 3.47 ERA in nine starts. That included an eight-inning shutout of the Red Sox on Sept. 19 at Fenway Park, where the former Blue Jay has pitched 66⅔ innings, more than any other ballpark in the majors he’s played as an opponent. Happ has a career 2.57 ERA at Fenway. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has made it a priority to add starting pitching this winter after the staff’s brutal performance in 2020 and the looming returns of Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale. But Happ would likely be no more than a back-end starter and depth option as the Red Sox try to fill gaps in their rotation. “Clearly for anybody who has spent any time watching us in 2020, it was obviously an issue,” Bloom said earlier this month of the Red Sox’ pitching in 2020. “There were a lot of different reasons for that. Obviously health, both arm health and the virus, as you guys all know, played a role. But those are the things we have to build for. We have to expect those things and that’s why depth is important. “We have to make sure we are aggressive in amassing both short-term and long-term depth. Starters, relievers, everywhere in between. We clearly did not have what we needed in that regard in 2020. I think by the end of the year looking ahead we could feel better about it than we might have on Opening Day, but we still have a lot of work to do.” * MassLive.com Red Sox trade rumors: Kris Bryant deal was discussed this past summer, Boston still could have interest in 2016 NL MVP (report) Christopher Smith The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs discussed slugger Kris Bryant this past summer, according to the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune listed the Red Sox as one of the potential teams who could have interest in acquiring the slugger this offseason. It’s not uncommon for teams to lay groundwork at the trade deadline, then resume trade talks during the offseason. Bryant, who turns 29 in January, will be a free agent at the end of the 2021 season. He is a three-time All- Star. He won the NL MVP in 2016, one year after winning the NL Rookie of the Year. He struggled during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season. He batted just .206 with a .293 on-base percentage, .351 slugging percentage, .644 OPS, four home runs, five doubles, one triple, 11 RBIs and 20 runs in 34 games (147 plate appearances). In six major league seasons, the third baseman — who is a client of Scott Boras — has batted .280 with a .380 on-base percentage, .508 slugging percentage and .889 OPS. He crushed 39 home runs in 2016 and 31 in 2019. Per the Chicago Tribune: “Two sources confirmed the Red Sox and Cubs discussed Bryant this summer, but those talks faded. Rafael Devers is the incumbent at third base, which means the Red Sox would envision Bryant as a left fielder. ...Mike Bryant, Kris’ father, is a Massachusetts native, but his son will dictate where he plays when becoming a free agent after 2021.” Bryant has made 172 career appearances (117 starts) in the outfield. Sixty-six of those starts came in left field. Red Sox rumors: Boston ‘showing interest’ in former Yankees starter J.A. Happ (report) Christopher Smith The Boston Red Sox are showing interest in left-handed starter J.A. Happ, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported Monday. Happ, who turned 38 in October, posted a 3.47 ERA (19 earned runs, 49⅓ innings) with a 1.05 WHIP in nine starts for the New York Yankees in 2020. He held the opposition to a .208 batting average. As Morosi pointed out, Happ has enjoyed a lot of success pitching at Fenway Park as a visitor. He is 7-2 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 12 outings (11 starts) there. He has held Red Sox hitters to a .207/.268/.331/.599 line in 66⅔ innings at Fenway. The Red Sox obviously need to add starting pitching this offseason. They finished the 2020 season ranked 25th in starter ERA (5.34), last in starter WHIP (1.56) and 29th in starter opponent batting average (.279). Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has plenty of free agent starting pitching options to consider, including Happ, Trevor Bauer, Charlie Morton, Taijuan Walker, Matt Shoemaker, Jake Odorizzi, Garrett Richards, Mike Minor, José Quintana Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, Cole Hamels and Corey Kluber. The Reds extended Bauer, the top pitcher on the free market, an $18.9 million qualifying offer that he declined. And so the Red Sox would be forced to give up a 2021 second-round draft pick and $500,000 in international signing bonus pool money if they were to sign him. Morosi reported earlier this month the Red Sox also are one of the teams that has showed interest in Shoemaker. Shoemaker, a 34-year-old righty, made six starts for the Blue Jays during the 2020 regular season, posting a 4.71 ERA, 5.95 FIP and 1.08 WHIP.