As big names fly off the board left and right, the Boston Red Sox still desperately need at least one more high-leverage relief pitcher.
It’s simple math: the Red Sox lost their closer (Kenley Jansen) and their setup man (Chris Martin) following the 2024 season. So far, all they’ve done to replace them is sign controversial ex-closer Aroldis Chapman and bring in fringe major leaguers like Justin Wilson and Jovani Moran.
In recent days, though, the Red Sox watched the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers steal All-Stars Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates in free agency, failing to respond in kind to this point.
If the Red Sox want to make good on their stated goals to win 95 games and an American League East title, they can’t afford to let the bullpen derail them again. Last season, their relief pitchers were the worst in Major League Baseball after the All-Star break, contributing greatly to the team’s second-half collapse.
Fortunately, there’s still one free agent out there who can provide exactly what the Red Sox still need. The prediction here is that Boston will go out and land 2024 Texas Rangers standout David Robertson.
It almost makes too much sense. Chapman is a lefty, so logic would dictate that Boston’s other big bullpen signing would be a righty. And Robertson may be entering his age-40 season, but he was one of the best strikeout men in any team’s bullpen last season.
Robertson struck out 99 batters last season, the sixth-most of any reliever in baseball. The only pitchers with more punchouts out of the bullpen were Josh Hader, Mason Miller, Bryan Abreu, Luke Weaver, and Cade Smith.
In addition to the strikeouts, Robertson put up a strong 3.00 ERA in 72 innings, with a 2.65 FIP. He relies on a five-pitch mix that’s heavy on the cutter, which generated an impressive .163 batting average and 30.8% whiff rate last winter.
Robertson should be attainable on an affordable one-year deal, and he’s got a 16-year track record of excellence. The Red Sox should be motivated enough by their failures to land Scott and Yates to step up and make Robertson their next high-leverage reliever.
