Will Red Sox add left-handed reliever to roster soon? Craig Breslow weighs in
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FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox filled their glaring infield needs with the recent additions of Caleb Durbin, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and others. When healthy, they have too many outfielders and starting pitchers for spots. Barring a major injury or surprise move, then, the area of the roster that would seem to have the most in the way of need is the bullpen, especially when it comes to left-handed options.
Since the end of last season, the Red Sox lost Justin Wilson (48.1 innings) and Steven Matz (21.2 innings) while trading Brennan Bernardino (51.2 innings) and Chris Murphy (34.2 innings) from their left-handed relief mix. Aroldis Chapman is back, but as the closer, won’t be in the mix to be a specialist who can face pockets of left-handed hitters in key spots. While losing Matz, Bernardino, Murphy and Wilson (who remains a free agent as camps open), the Red Sox have done little to replenish that specific area of the roster. Of those on the 40-man roster, only Jovani Morán and newcomer Tyler Samaniego (acquired as part of the Johan Oviedo-Jhostynxon Garcia trade with Pittsburgh in December) profile as traditional left-handed bullpen options.
Despite the lack of certainty — Morán has pitched just four major league innings over the last two years due to injury and Samaniego has never pitched above Double-A — the Red Sox don’t seem to be prioritizing adding a bona fide left-hander to their roster as camp opens. While the club is open to free agent adds, Boston is (as of Tuesday) not expected to pursue Dodgers lefty Anthony Banda, who was recently designated for assignment, unless he clears waivers, according to a source. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow appears more comfortable with internal options than one might assume.
“We continue to explore opportunities. We also feel good about the group we have,” he said Wednesday. “Morán has been someone that has been highlighted, someone we really like coming off a really successful winter ball season in Puerto Rico. We brought in Tyler Samaniego and are excited to get a look at him. There’s also starting pitching depth and we’ll figure out over the course of the next month and a half or so who, if anyone, might contribute out of the ‘pen from that group.”
Morán posted a dominant 2022 (2.21 ERA, 54 strikeouts in 40.2 innings) with the Twins but struggled in 2023, then had Tommy John surgery that fall. The Red Sox acquired him on Christmas Eve in 2024, then had him spend most of last season at Worcester. This year, Morán is out of options and seems to have the inside track to a roster spot after allowing one earned run and striking out 15 batters in 11 innings in winter ball in his native Puerto Rico. Manager Alex Cora is excited about Morán’s ability to get righties out in the majors and the team is high on his changeup as a plus pitch.
Samaniego, a 27-year-old with zero major league experience, is on the 40-man roster and will be given a chance to compete for the roster. Non-roster invitees Alec Gamboa, T.J. Sikkema and Jeremy Wu-Yelland are long-shot options in big league camp and Cora mentioned rotation prospect Jake Bennett as someone who has caught his eye early.
There are options, too, if the Red Sox decide to turn toward free agency. Danny Coulombe is an obvious fit who the club has been in touch with throughout the winter but would likely require a major league deal. Wilson remains unsigned but is rumored to be considering retirement. Former Oriole Cionel Pérez is of interest to the Sox, too, according to a source, and is unsigned. Veterans Andrew Chafin, Jalen Beeks, Joey Lucchesi, Colin Poche, T.J. McFarland and Joe Mantiply are out there, too.
As Breslow noted, the Red Sox, at full strength, have too many starters for rotation spots and therefore might have to get creative with how they use starters earlier in the year. With Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez, Sonny Gray, Brayan Bello and Johan Oviedo seemingly locked into spots, the quartet of Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle projects to be on the outside looking in. Early and Tolle will not be relief options in March or April and therefore seem likely to start in the Worcester rotation. The right-handed Crawford and the left-handed Sandoval could emerge as long relievers, depending on how things shake out.
“I think they’re both capable of being effective bullpen guys because they’ve been very effective major league starters. It’s premature to label either as such,” Breslow said, speaking about Crawford and Sandoval. “If I’ve learned anything in a short amount of time, it’s that talking about what your rotation might look like before anyone has thrown a spring training game pitch, that would be foolish.
“Most importantly, both Kutter and Patrick are making a ton of progress. Off the mound regularly, facing hitters soon, and we’ll evaluate. It’s been a while since they’ve been in games and we need to make sure we’ll bring them along in a way that makes sense.”
At times last season, the Red Sox had nearly half their bullpen consisting of left-handed options in order to provide balance and give opponents a different look late in games. This year, though, it remains possible that Cora will opt to carry just one southpaw in addition to Chapman. Having bona fide lefty starters like Crochet, Suárez and potentially Sandoval, Early and Tolle lessens the need to have short-burst left-handers available.
“Having the two lefties in the rotation changes, probably, the way we’ll build a roster. Do we need three lefties? I don’t know.
“We are in the business of getting people out and we need lefties to get righties out and righties to get lefties out.”More Red Sox coverage
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