On the eve of Opening Day, the Red Sox reportedly bolstered their pitching depth by acquiring Japanese right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa from the Tampa Bay Rays.

The deal was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

The Boston Red Sox are acquiring right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa in a trade with Tampa Bay, sources tell ESPN. Uwasawa, 30, had signed a minor league deal with the Rays and wasn’t going to make the team. Boston, looking for pitching, adds the veteran who pitched nine years in Japan.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 27, 2024

The 30-year-old Uwasawa recently made the jump to the United States, signing a minor league deal with the Rays, but was informed recently that he did not make the team. Uwasawa will presumably provide additional starting pitching depth for the Red Sox, who don’t have much waiting in the wings beyond Cooper Criswell in Triple-A.

A veteran of nine seasons with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Uwasawa has posted a 3.42 ERA over 1,367.1 professional innings. Last season he went 9-9 with a 2.96 ERA over 170 innings, but since coming stateside he has struggled, allowing 14 earned runs over 9.2 innings (translating to a 13.03 ERA) in four Grapefruit League appearances with Tampa Bay.

Uwasawa’s deal with Tampa Bay is structured to pay him $2.5 million if he’s on the MLB roster and $225,000 if he’s in the minors. As of this writing it’s not clear whether or not the Red Sox plan to add Uwasawa to the 40-man roster.