2024 Rotation and Bullpen
- Thread starter Rovin Romine
- Start date
Can't call Booser or Criswell back up yet, hasn't been fifteen days since they were optioned. Otherwise it definitely would have been Booser.
He’s been absolutely godawful but he’s got an electric arm. I’d rather they try to figure him out than just let him go. He’s the kind of guy that goes to another team and becomes a guy with a 2.25 era and 11 k/9.
He was great last year for Seattle. And he's got options. He's not going anywhere.
I think his injury is still causing serious issues. He was really good last year, and was great in his first 5 appearances, had a rough one against Baltimore and then got left out there the next day against Baltimore for 28 pitches (a number he only reached 3 times the entire season last year), and then had to immediately be shut down.
He has options and lots of control, so there is, in my opinion, no harm in letting him spend as much time in AAA getting right as he can. There is an effective pitcher there, and I would hate to see them give up on him.
Another outing where one of the starters is looking dominant and cruising along and then just drops a deuce on the field (I wish it was only two runs!).
Any thoughts on what’s going on? The general consensus is that Bello is still immature, but it’s been Pivetta and Crawford too (maybe Crawford could be out in the Bello bucket?). Are they just showing all their pitches and not having anything to mix in?
It was obvious that the starters were pitching way above their true talent level and everyone expected regression but I was thinking the regression would be a bit slower and spread out over the season. This has been more of a crash
Any thoughts on what’s going on? The general consensus is that Bello is still immature, but it’s been Pivetta and Crawford too (maybe Crawford could be out in the Bello bucket?). Are they just showing all their pitches and not having anything to mix in?
It was obvious that the starters were pitching way above their true talent level and everyone expected regression but I was thinking the regression would be a bit slower and spread out over the season. This has been more of a crash
mlbtr: The Red Sox have claimed right-hander Alex Speas off waivers from the Astros. Speas was designated for assignment by Houston last week.
Horn for Campbell (last week), Speas claimed and added to the 40-man.
****
Starting Rotation:
Bullpen:
****
- Bold is the opening day roster.
- Red indicates no longer on the active 13 (and why.)
- Callups are indented under the player going on the IL (roughly). They may not have the exact same role, but may correlate with who might be sent down.
Starting Rotation:
1 Brayan Bello. (prev: lat tightness, IL 4/21- 5/12)
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8.
2 Nick Pivetta (prev: elbow, IL 4/6-5/8)
3 Kutter Crawford
4 Tanner Houck
5 Garret Whitlock. 60 Day IL (oblique, 4/17, turned into TJ issues).
Joe Jacques (LHP). Called up 4/17. DFA 4/19.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18.
Josh Winckowski. Called up 6/24.
Starting Depth: Anderson, Uwasawa, Dick Fitts? (N40 AAA).
Bullpen:
1 Kenley Jansen
2 Chris Martin. (prev: anxiety, IL 6/2-6/18)
3 Josh Winckowski (moved to Starting Rotation block)
Brennan Bernardino (LHP) Called up 4/9.
4 Chase Anderson
5 Justin Slaten
6 Isaiah Campbell. (prev shoulder, IL 4/12-6/6) (optioned WOR 6/28)
Bailey Horn (LHP). Called up 6/28
7 Greg Weissert
8 Joely Rodriguez (LHP). DFA 4/28.
Cam Booser (LHP). (optioned WOR 6/24.)
Brad Keller. (optioned WOR 6/24.)
Zach Kelly. Called up 6/5.
Bullpen Notes: 40 man depth deep at the moment.
Minors - 40 man:
Cam Booser (LHP). AAA.
Cooper Criswell. AAA. Starter.
Brad Keller. AAA. Starter/longman.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. AAA. Starter.
Alex Speas. AAA (primarily a reliever in his career.)
Wikelman Gonzalez (AA). Starting prospect. Bad year through June. No realistic call-up chance.
Minors - other: (mostly high minors and therefore possibly relevant to this year)
Jorge Benetiz (LHP) AAA. A 2 inning reliever in his first AAA season. Struggled in May.
Luis Guerrero. Power RHP. Being stretched out from 1 to 2 innings in AAA.
Brendan Cellucci (LHP). A 3 inning reliever promoted from AA to AAA 4/27.
Robert Kwiatkowski. Another multi-inning arm. SSS, but looks good.
Vladimir Gutierrez. Acquired 4/18. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Joely Rodriguez (LHP) AAA.
Also on the 40 man are:
Lucas Giolito: 60-day IL. TJ surgery 3/12.
Chris Murphy (LHP): 60-day IL. TJ surgery 4/10.
Liam Hendricks: 60-day IL, recovering TJ, maybe available late July/early Aug.
Bryan Mata: 15-day IL forever and ever and ever.
Brandon Walter: 60 day IL (minors). Shoulder issue.
Garret Whitlock: 60-day IL. TJ bracing surgery 5/30.
Luis Perales (AA). 60-day IL Starting prospect. TJ? late June.
Notes/Some Transactions:
Slaten is a Rule 5 claim for this year.
Joe Jacques was DFA'd to call up Booser and claimed by Arizona. May he forever be an embedded Red Sox.
Joely Rodriguez was DFA'd on April 28th. Cleared on 5/1 and outrighted to AAA.
Vladimir Gutierrez was acquired from the Brewers for cash on 4/18. AAA. DFA'd on 5/1 for Dominic Smith. Outrighted 5/6. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Sal Romano was signed as a FA on 4/26. Age 30. RHP, ML exp. Reclamation project.
Bailey Horn was acquired from the CWS (DFAd) for cash on 4/30. Optioned to AAA. Age 26. MiL LH relief pitcher.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8 for Pivetta.
Zach Kelly was optioned on 5/26 due to recent high workload and signing HWF (human white flag) Brad Keller. Called up 6/5 for Chris Martin.
Brad Keller, signed 5/26, optioned 6/24.
Garret Whitlock moved from 15 day IL to 60-day on 6/2, following TJ (brace) surgery.
Josh Winckowski was optioned to WOR on 6/4 where he was stretched out as a starter - called up on 6/24.
Cam Booser: called up 5/19, optioned 6/24 when Winckowski and Campbell were ready.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18. Effective stop-gap starter.
Alex Speas claimed from HOU off waivers on 6/29.
Martin to the IL with right elbow inflammation. Cam Booser up.
****
Starting Rotation:
Bullpen:
****
- Bold is the opening day roster.
- Red indicates no longer on the active 13 (and why.)
- Callups are indented under the player going on the IL (roughly). They may not have the exact same role, but may correlate with who might be sent down.
Starting Rotation:
1 Brayan Bello. (prev: lat tightness, IL 4/21- 5/12)
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8.
2 Nick Pivetta (prev: elbow, IL 4/6-5/8)
3 Kutter Crawford
4 Tanner Houck
5 Garret Whitlock. 60 Day IL (oblique, 4/17, turned into TJ issues).
Joe Jacques (LHP). Called up 4/17. DFA 4/19.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18.
Josh Winckowski. Called up 6/24.
Starting Depth: Anderson, Uwasawa, Dick Fitts? (N40 AAA).
Bullpen:
1 Kenley Jansen
2 Chris Martin. 15 day IL, right elbow inflammation, 7/4 (prev: anxiety, IL 6/2-6/18)
3 Josh Winckowski (moved to Starting Rotation block)
Brennan Bernardino (LHP) Called up 4/9.
4 Chase Anderson
5 Justin Slaten
6 Isaiah Campbell. (prev: shoulder, IL 4/12-6/6) (optioned WOR 6/28)
Bailey Horn (LHP). Called up 6/28
7 Greg Weissert
8 Joely Rodriguez (LHP). DFA 4/28.
Cam Booser (LHP). Called up 6/6.
Brad Keller. (optioned WOR 6/24.)
Zach Kelly. Called up 6/5.
Bullpen Notes: 40 man depth deep at the moment.
Minors - 40 man:
Cooper Criswell. AAA. Starter.
Brad Keller. AAA. Starter/longman.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. AAA. Starter.
Isaiah Campbell.
Alex Speas. AAA (primarily a reliever in his career.)
Wikelman Gonzalez (AA). Starting prospect. Bad year through June. No realistic call-up chance.
Minors - other: (mostly high minors and therefore possibly relevant to this year)
Jorge Benetiz (LHP) AAA. A 2 inning reliever in his first AAA season. Struggled in May.
Luis Guerrero. Power RHP. Being stretched out from 1 to 2 innings in AAA.
Brendan Cellucci (LHP). A 3 inning reliever promoted from AA to AAA 4/27.
Robert Kwiatkowski. Another multi-inning arm. SSS, but looks good.
Vladimir Gutierrez. Acquired 4/18. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Joely Rodriguez (LHP) AAA.
Also on the 40 man are:
Lucas Giolito: 60-day IL. TJ surgery 3/12.
Chris Murphy (LHP): 60-day IL. TJ surgery 4/10.
Liam Hendricks: 60-day IL, recovering TJ, maybe available late July/early Aug.
Bryan Mata: 15-day IL forever and ever and ever.
Brandon Walter: 60 day IL (minors). Shoulder issue.
Garret Whitlock: 60-day IL. TJ bracing surgery 5/30.
Luis Perales (AA). 60-day IL Starting prospect. TJ? late June.
Notes/Some Transactions:
Slaten is a Rule 5 claim for this year.
Joe Jacques was DFA'd to call up Booser and claimed by Arizona. May he forever be an embedded Red Sox.
Joely Rodriguez was DFA'd on April 28th. Cleared on 5/1 and outrighted to AAA.
Vladimir Gutierrez was acquired from the Brewers for cash on 4/18. AAA. DFA'd on 5/1 for Dominic Smith. Outrighted 5/6. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Sal Romano was signed as a FA on 4/26. Age 30. RHP, ML exp. Reclamation project.
Bailey Horn was acquired from the CWS (DFAd) for cash on 4/30. Optioned to AAA. Age 26. MiL LH relief pitcher.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8 for Pivetta.
Zach Kelly was optioned on 5/26 due to recent high workload and signing HWF (human white flag) Brad Keller. Called up 6/5 for Chris Martin.
Brad Keller, signed 5/26, optioned 6/24.
Garret Whitlock moved from 15 day IL to 60-day on 6/2, following TJ (brace) surgery.
Josh Winckowski was optioned to WOR on 6/4 where he was stretched out as a starter - called up on 6/24.
Cam Booser: called up 5/19, optioned 6/24 when Winckowski and Campbell were ready. Called up 6/6 for Martin (elbow.)
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18. Effective stop-gap starter.
Alex Speas claimed from HOU off waivers on 6/29.
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Cam Boozer sent down to Worcester today, though no corresponding promotion has been announced. Criswell or Campbell I guess?
or maybe that new guy from Detroit they traded for and some said he had a clause that had him needing a 40 man spot?
Cam Booser down. Trey Wingenter acquired. . .I'll do the post now and edit it when we get the 40 man move. Which is Uwasawa DFA'd. Emergency starting depth seems OK though with Criswell, then Keller.
****
Starting Rotation:
Bullpen:
****
- Bold is the opening day roster.
- Red indicates no longer on the active 13 (and why.)
- Callups are indented under the player going on the IL (roughly). They may not have the exact same role, but may correlate with who might be sent down.
Starting Rotation:
1 Brayan Bello. (prev: lat tightness, IL 4/21- 5/12)
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8.
2 Nick Pivetta (prev: elbow, IL 4/6-5/8)
3 Kutter Crawford
4 Tanner Houck
5 Garret Whitlock. 60 Day IL (oblique, 4/17, turned into TJ issues).
Joe Jacques (LHP). Called up 4/17. DFA 4/19.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18.
Josh Winckowski. Called up 6/24.
Starting Depth: Criswell, Keller, Anderson, Dick Fitts? (N40 AAA).
Bullpen:
1 Kenley Jansen
2 Chris Martin. 15 day IL, right elbow inflammation, 7/4 (prev: anxiety, IL 6/2-6/18)
Trey Wingenter. Added 7/9.
3 Josh Winckowski (moved to Starting Rotation block)
Brennan Bernardino (LHP) Called up 4/9.
4 Chase Anderson
5 Justin Slaten
6 Isaiah Campbell. (prev: shoulder, IL 4/12-6/6) (optioned WOR 6/28)
Bailey Horn (LHP). Called up 6/28
7 Greg Weissert
8 Joely Rodriguez (LHP). DFA 4/28.
Cam Booser (LHP). (optioned WOR 7/8)
Brad Keller. (optioned WOR 6/24.)
Zach Kelly. Called up 6/5.
Bullpen Notes: 40 man depth deep at the moment.
Minors - 40 man:
Cooper Criswell. AAA. Starter.
Brad Keller. AAA. Starter/longman.
Cam Booser. AAA.
Isaiah Campbell. AAA.
Alex Speas. AAA (primarily a reliever in his career.)
Wikelman Gonzalez (AA). Starting prospect. Bad year through June. No realistic call-up chance.
Minors - other: (mostly high minors and therefore possibly relevant to this year)
Jorge Benetiz (LHP) AAA. A 2 inning reliever in his first AAA season. Struggled in May.
Luis Guerrero. Power RHP. Being stretched out from 1 to 2 innings in AAA.
Brendan Cellucci (LHP). A 3 inning reliever promoted from AA to AAA 4/27.
Robert Kwiatkowski. Another multi-inning arm. SSS, but looks good.
Vladimir Gutierrez. Acquired 4/18. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Joely Rodriguez (LHP) AAA.
Also on the 40 man are:
Lucas Giolito: 60-day IL. TJ surgery 3/12.
Chris Murphy (LHP): 60-day IL. TJ surgery 4/10.
Liam Hendricks: 60-day IL, recovering TJ, maybe available late July/early Aug.
Bryan Mata: 15-day IL forever and ever and ever. But now with teasing rehab games.
Brandon Walter: 60 day IL (minors). Shoulder issue.
Garret Whitlock: 60-day IL. TJ bracing surgery 5/30.
Luis Perales (AA). 60-day IL Starting prospect. TJ? late June.
Notes/Some Transactions:
Slaten is a Rule 5 claim for this year.
Joe Jacques was DFA'd to call up Booser and claimed by Arizona. May he forever be an embedded Red Sox.
Joely Rodriguez was DFA'd on April 28th. Cleared on 5/1 and outrighted to AAA.
Vladimir Gutierrez was acquired from the Brewers for cash on 4/18. AAA. DFA'd on 5/1 for Dominic Smith. Outrighted 5/6. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Sal Romano was signed as a FA on 4/26. Age 30. RHP, ML exp. Reclamation project.
Bailey Horn was acquired from the CWS (DFAd) for cash on 4/30. Optioned to AAA. Age 26. MiL LH relief pitcher.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8 for Pivetta. DFA 7/9 for Wingenter,
Zach Kelly was optioned on 5/26 due to recent high workload and signing HWF (human white flag) Brad Keller. Called up 6/5 for Chris Martin.
Brad Keller, signed 5/26, optioned 6/24.
Garret Whitlock moved from 15 day IL to 60-day on 6/2, following TJ (brace) surgery.
Josh Winckowski was optioned to WOR on 6/4 where he was stretched out as a starter - called up on 6/24.
Cam Booser: called up 5/19, optioned 6/24 when Winckowski and Campbell were ready. Called up 7/6 for Martin (elbow) optioned 7/8 after pitching one game.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18. Effective stop-gap starter.
Alex Speas claimed from HOU off waivers on 6/29.
Trey Wingenter acquired from DET for CJ Weins on 7/6.
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Kind of makes sense that Valdez is sent down for Westbrook. After tonight, the Sox are scheduled to face to LH starters in next 3 games so having both he and Hamilton leading up to the break was a bit redundant.
I think Cora agrees with me. Sadly Breslow may not.
Though DOB did hint that Criswell may be coming up soon, so hopefully that's sooner than later.
He "preserved" a 6run lead for 1 inning at home. That's probably as high-lev as he's going to get.
Looking ahead, I wouldn’t mind an extra rest day for Houck so he can pitch game 1 of the series against KC.
Do we actually know the terms of Wingenter's promotion clause? Have we satisfied it? Can we option him now to go work on whatever transformation the brain trust has in mind for him?
| Player | xFIP | xERA |
| Houck | 3.12 | 3.79 |
| Crawford | 4.00 | 3.87 |
| Pivetta | 3.45 | 3.74 |
| Bello | 3.68 | 4.45 |
| Criswell | 3.71 | 3.61 |
Everyone says we need a starting pitcher but of the names available, only Flaherty (xFIP of 2.33, xERA of 2.89) seems clearly better than what we have in-house. I don't know what Breslow is doing with Criswell, his rate stats have been excellent for a 5th starter, he should be starting.
I understand the concern about innings especially for guys like Houck and Crawford but they're not young anymore.
Bello has struggled but I don’t think he’s earned a demotion to AAA and the best plan for him is to keep working through it. Otherwise it’s distrust of Criswell and Winckowski as the no. 6 and the innings limit.
It’s enough to warrant adding a starter not just for the stretch run but also for ‘25 as I’m pretty sure Pivetta will be pitching somewhere else
It's pretty clear that Criswell isn't in the #5 mix at this point. The why is the interesting part. He's still burning innings in AAA, so if he was capable of giving quality ML starts/long outings, why not him over Wingenter? Is Criswell in AAA purely as emergency starting depth? Shouldn't that be an Anderson or a Keller or an Uwasawa?
I mean, I get that you can't really keep 6 guys stretched out as pure starters given the 13 man MLB pitching roster. But at the same time, I think you generally want to have your 13 best arms up in the majors.
Well, Uwasawa is gone. It’s seems possible, perhaps likely, that Wingenter is just a body and will soon be replaced by someone, maybe even Criswell? It is kind of odd that Criswell and then Booser were demoted but it might just be as simple as preferring Winckowski and Horn?
I think you answered your own question. Criswell is probably a "better pitcher" than Anderson, but Anderson is old, not great, seems to be a good guy for the team (according to last night's post-game show), and is the exact right guy to just sit around and molder until a blowout rolls around.
But overall, I'd prefer to see Criswell in the rotation, instead of a bullpen game. Winckowski *might* have been the guy, but he's not the same pitcher he was last year. I dont know if it's the foot injury, or if last year was a mirage, but I have more confidence in Criswell starting than Winckowski.
Trying to figure out the "why," maybe they think a bullpen game keeps the staff more flexible than a 5th "starter only"? That might have made sense when every starter was going really deep in games, but that's not happening as much as it was.
That seems to be a problem with upgrading the team at the deadline overall. It's full of good players, but with few great ones. Unfortunately, the players available in a trade are seldom better than good, so it's hard to see an obvious place to get better.
I still think that while they might not need a starter, they could use one for yeah, easing innings- injury insurance- push Criswell to the pen and it makes the pen better. Use him as a Whitlock weapon.
But they’ll need to address Pivetta’s spot for ‘25 and they could do that with someone with just a full remaining season.
But they’ll need to address Pivetta’s spot for ‘25 and they could do that with someone with just a full remaining season.
There's too much risk of the rotation falling apart in the last two months to not get another starter. There's no way you can stand pat if your goal is to make a postseason run when most of the staff will be in uncharted innings territory by the deadline.
There’s a few teams that really are out of any playoff competition-
Toronto should be looking to rebuild. Tampa. Detroit, White Sox, TX, LAA, Oakland in the AL.
Just DC, Miami and Colorado in the NL.
That’s actually a lot of potential trade partners…. I’m not sure what pitchers would be available that have arms ready to go deep that would also be locked in for ‘25 but I saw someone mention Eovaldi and I got light headed
Toronto should be looking to rebuild. Tampa. Detroit, White Sox, TX, LAA, Oakland in the AL.
Just DC, Miami and Colorado in the NL.
That’s actually a lot of potential trade partners…. I’m not sure what pitchers would be available that have arms ready to go deep that would also be locked in for ‘25 but I saw someone mention Eovaldi and I got light headed
The reason Bello's xFIP is so much lower is xFIP corrects the FBHR % to 10.5%. In both 2024 and 2023 Bello's % has been much higher. This year it is 19%. Bello's FIP - which does not make this correction - is 4.44.
Among pitchers who have pitched more than 80 innings, Bello has the worst FB/HR% in the majors by a full 2% of the next player.
His BABIP is 4th worst in that same group. So unlucky, but giving up Homers.
Totally forgot about that guy! Okay... so maybe I'm leaning more into the "just trade for a reliever (the A's had a few that looked pretty nice)". But not opposed at all to seeing Eovaldi back here.
I think they're good enough as is, but the way it's looking right now- and I know these numbers don't really mean much but they still have some common usage that we can understand what they mean- is that the Sox have an "ace". Houck. Bello I thought from the start of the season shouldn't be counted on to be much more than a "3". But he's more like a "5" right now. Crawford and Pivetta are both pitching like "3's". Criswell too, but they seem to have given up on him for I have no clue.
So they do need another starter. Maybe since Giolito will take Pivetta's spot, that frees them up for an expiring contract deal. So... I just talked myself into needing a starter again.
Of course they need a starter. It shouldn't even be a question. Houck is already past his high for IP, and Crawford is approaching his. Wink seems better suited for long relief, and Criswell was starting to get exposed as a SP before he was sent down. Preferably it's a lefty too, we could really use that to balance out our rotation and force the other manager to have to think about lineup construction a bit more in any given series.
Bello is not struggling, anymore IMO. He was before the skipped start, but the five runs in a blowout game are misleading. The 10 Ks tell a story of a guy who is finishing his pitches. Also he should be rested, relatively. There is no chance they would even consider a demotion.
The other three, maybe the week off restores them? Crawford seems back on his game. But it's getting dicey. I hope Houck doesn't pitch in the ASG although he almost certainly will.
'26 FA:
TBR: Eflin, Littell
TOR: Bassitt
TEX: Eovaldi, Gray
CIN: Montas
LAA: Anderson, Canning
CWS: Fedde
COL: Quantrill
ARI: Kelly
Can you expand on Criswell "getting exposed"? When he was sent down, his FIP was 3.71, as opposed to 3.61 on May 1 and was way down from 4.40 on May 16. Cora's been consistently pulling him at about the 80 pitch point, so maybe there's some data to support that as a threshold. But that's more of a "he is what he is" rather than "getting exposed". Are there some underlying metrics I'm missing?
No, I don't think you're really missing anything. I'm just basing it on watching the games. It feels like he has to be pretty perfect because his stuff isn't overwhelming. He is a good depth piece, but with our bullpen thin, I don't think his 80 pitches are going to cut it unless he is super efficient. Maybe I'm gun shy because last year we were relying on bullpen games twice thru the rotation for 6-7 weeks because we got caught short on depth. I'm not ready to pencil him in as the 5th starter for the rest of the year.
I think Criswell is making my point right now. If we’re going to get where we want to go, he’s not a sustainable part of our rotation.
Also - thank you all for keeping specific trade proposals out of the thread. A good hard look at the pros and cons of the actual roster and where it might go this year and next is the core reason for this thread.
A lot more red the past few days - Wingenter optioned and Slaten to the IL. Booser and Criswell up, leaving Keller and Campbell as the AAA depth.
****
Starting Rotation:
Bullpen:
****
- Bold is the opening day roster.
- Red indicates no longer on the active 13 (and why.)
- Callups are indented under the player going on the IL (roughly). They may not have the exact same role, but may correlate with who might be sent down.
Starting Rotation:
1 Brayan Bello. (prev: lat tightness, IL 4/21- 5/12)
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8.
2 Nick Pivetta (prev: elbow, IL 4/6-5/8)
3 Kutter Crawford
4 Tanner Houck
5 Garret Whitlock. 60 Day IL (oblique, 4/17, turned into TJ issues).
Joe Jacques (LHP). Called up 4/17. DFA 4/19.
Josh Winckowski. Called up 6/24.
Starting Depth: Criswell, Keller, Anderson, Dick Fitts? (N40 AAA).
Bullpen:
1 Kenley Jansen
2 Chris Martin. 15 day IL, right elbow inflammation, 7/4 (prev: anxiety, IL 6/2-6/18)
Trey Wingenter. Added 7/9. (optioned WOR 7/12.)
Cam Booser (LHP). Called up 7/12.
3 Josh Winckowski (moved to Starting Rotation block)
Brennan Bernardino (LHP) Called up 4/9.
4 Chase Anderson
5 Justin Slaten. 15 day IL, Right elbow inflammation, 7/9.
Cooper Criswell. Called up 7/12.
6 Isaiah Campbell. (prev: shoulder, IL 4/12-6/6) (optioned WOR 6/28)
Bailey Horn (LHP). Called up 6/28.
7 Greg Weissert
8 Joely Rodriguez (LHP). DFA 4/28.
Brad Keller. (optioned WOR 6/24.)
Zach Kelly. Called up 6/5.
Bullpen Notes: 40 man depth thin at the moment.
Minors - 40 man:
Brad Keller. AAA. Starter/longman.
Isaiah Campbell. AAA.
Alex Speas. AAA (primarily a reliever in his career.)
Wikelman Gonzalez (AA). Starting prospect. Bad year through June. No realistic call-up chance.
Minors - other: (mostly high minors and therefore possibly relevant to this year)
Jorge Benetiz (LHP) AAA. A 2 inning reliever in his first AAA season. Struggled in May.
Luis Guerrero. Power RHP. Being stretched out from 1 to 2 innings in AAA.
Brendan Cellucci (LHP). A 3 inning reliever promoted from AA to AAA 4/27.
Robert Kwiatkowski. Another multi-inning arm. SSS, but looks good.
Vladimir Gutierrez. Acquired 4/18. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Joely Rodriguez (LHP) AAA.
Also on the 40 man are:
Lucas Giolito: 60-day IL. TJ surgery 3/12.
Chris Murphy (LHP): 60-day IL. TJ surgery 4/10.
Liam Hendricks: 60-day IL, recovering TJ, maybe available late July/early Aug.
Bryan Mata: 15-day IL forever and ever and ever. But now with teasing rehab games.
Brandon Walter: 60 day IL (minors). Shoulder issue.
Garret Whitlock: 60-day IL. TJ bracing surgery 5/30.
Luis Perales (AA). 60-day IL Starting prospect. TJ? late June.
Notes/Some Transactions:
Slaten is a Rule 5 claim for this year.
Joe Jacques was DFA'd to call up Booser and claimed by Arizona. May he forever be an embedded Red Sox.
Joely Rodriguez was DFA'd on April 28th. Cleared on 5/1 and outrighted to AAA.
Vladimir Gutierrez was acquired from the Brewers for cash on 4/18. AAA. DFA'd on 5/1 for Dominic Smith. Outrighted 5/6. Former starter pre-TJS in 2020. Control issues.
Sal Romano was signed as a FA on 4/26. Age 30. RHP, ML exp. Reclamation project.
Bailey Horn was acquired from the CWS (DFAd) for cash on 4/30. Optioned to AAA. Age 26. MiL LH relief pitcher.
Naoyuki Uwasawa. Called up 4/28, optioned 5/8 for Pivetta. DFA 7/9 for Wingenter,
Zach Kelly was optioned on 5/26 due to recent high workload and signing HWF (human white flag) Brad Keller. Called up 6/5 for Chris Martin.
Brad Keller, signed 5/26, optioned 6/24.
Garret Whitlock moved from 15 day IL to 60-day on 6/2, following TJ (brace) surgery.
Josh Winckowski was optioned to WOR on 6/4 where he was stretched out as a starter - called up on 6/24.
Cam Booser: called up 5/19, optioned 6/24 when Winckowski and Campbell were ready. Called up 7/6 for Martin (elbow) optioned 7/8 after pitching one game. Up again 7/12 for Slaten (IL).
Cooper Criswell. Called up 4/13, optioned 6/18. Effective stop-gap starter. Called up 7/12.
Alex Speas claimed from HOU off waivers on 6/29.
Trey Wingenter acquired from DET for CJ Weins on 7/6. Optioned 7/12.
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Seems to me that for the time being, the fifth starter slot is a combination of Winckowski and Criswell. I expect a starting pitcher is on the shopping list for the deadline.
FWIW, Criswell threw 104 pitches tonight through 6. Doing that while giving up 5 runs isn't ideal, but it's an inning count that helps the pen.
Yet we will still see Weissert tonight.
The pen is just really hurting, RH wise now.
Jansen
Kelly
Weissert
Anderson
Winckowski?
Yikes.
its also an important game to start the last series before break against a direct competitor for WC spots. Now we have to face Lugo tmrw. They could’ve had something better than Cooper Criswell.
You don't win many games when your #5 starter faces their ace. And Ragans is their ace. He has a better FIP, xFIP, WAR, k/9, and xERA than Lugo - all that with a .306 BABIP. Sometimes those match-ups happen.
I don't understand this argument in the context of the rotation. Who the fifth starter is, especially when that starter went a 6 full innings (all you can ask from that spot), doesn't change who's available in the bullpen on a given day. The injuries to Martin and now Slaten hurt, but the only correlation to the rotation is as a whole not one particular spot or starter. If their issue is over-use, it's as much on Bello and Pivetta having multiple starts of fewer than five innings as the choice of using Criswell and/or Winckowski as the fifth starter.
I haven't looked, but I suspect that the "5th best" starter on the Sox stacks up well enough with most teams' 5th best.
Pitching for every team can be upgraded. But I agree with the above. Right now, the bullpen is short. Whether that's a tradeable fix is up in the air, IMO.
The much bigger issue I see is hitting vs LHP. Its been a consistent problem all season.
Not that both things can't be addressed, but if Martin and Slaten are short term things that resolve shortly after the ASB, the pitching need decreases some.