Pitcher Zach Penrod was promoted from the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs to Triple-A Worcester. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

The Red Sox promoted left-handed starting pitching prospect Zach Penrod to Triple-A Worcester after he dominated at Double-A for the Portland Sea Dogs.

Penrod made seven starts for Portland. He went 4-0 with a 2.80 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 53 strikeouts and 13 walks in 35 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .183 against him. He averaged 13.5 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine innings.

Penrod is an interesting pitcher to keep an eye as someone who could make his big league debut this year.

Boston signed him out of the independent Pioneer League last Aug. 16. He went on to post a 2.18 ERA (20 2/3 innings, five earned runs) in four regular-season starts for High-A Greenville, then made four starts for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. He led all AFL starters in ERA (1.29).

The 26-year-old throws a 94-97 mph fastball, 85-89 mph power slider and changeup.

On his journey to signing with the Red Sox, he laid floors with his dad and paid for his own MRI.

Texas initially signed him as a non-drafted free agent in 2018. But he missed the 2019 season because he underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2019 and the Rangers released him June 1, 2020. At the time, many minor leaguers throughout the league were released due to the COVID shutdown.