Well, the Trade Deadline has officially passed, but there’s always the Postseason Play Deadline. The Red Sox got Steve Pearce, Nathan Eovaldi, and Ian Kinsler, but no new relievers.
There are a few reasons why Boston didn’t end up with a new arm in the bullpen today, and despite my reservations about our current relievers, I’m actually okay with this, and I’ll tell you why:
1. The Osuna situation. Roberto Osuna was a great reliever. Now he’s suspended for domestic violence, awaiting trial, and the Houston Astros’ new PR and legal nightmare. Dave Dombrowski firmly stated, “we did not pursue the player.” Props to the Sox for staying far away.
2. Apparently, the Red Sox were hoping for a reliever deal with the Nationals last night but when it fell through, that was it. No last-minute attempts to snatch anyone up. The Red Sox have made desperate, expensive moves in the past, and it rarely works out well. I’m glad to see them taking a more strategic and patient approach.
3. Our bullpen, while stress-inducing at times, isn’t actually that bad overall. Red Sox relievers 3.35 ERA ranks 6th in MLB and 3rd in the American League. Tyler Thornburg is healthy, Matt Barnes is a new man, and Craig Kimbrel already has 33 saves. Plus, with the addition of Nathan Eovaldi to the starting rotation, Hector Velazquez and Brian Johnson will be able to do more relief stints to round out the pen.
4. In the end, the market wasn’t ripe for relievers. Dombrowski said that our current pitchers were “comparable” to the ones available, and that “improvements can come from within.” No need to add just for the sake of adding.
And that’s all she wrote. Now we just wait and see how the season continues to go. I’ve had few complaints thus far. Let’s hope for the best.
Photo: Boston Sports Extra
