The Red Sox aren’t wasting any time this offseason following their week of big-splash acquisitions, as they are reportedly already building their bullpen for next season.
The Red Sox have agreed to a contract with former Orioles reliever Matt Albers, according to NESN Insider Peter Gammons, who broke the news during Tuesday’s edition of Red Sox Hot Stove Live. The signing has yet to be made official by the Red Sox.
Albers was non-tendered by the Orioles and was offered free agency on Dec. 2. The right-hander didn’t post great numbers in the 2010 season, but he saw a fair amount of success against the Red Sox. In 10 appearances against Boston, Albers posted a 2-2 record with a 3.65 ERA and nine strikeouts.
Overall, Albers posted a 5-3 record with a 4.52 ERA last season. The 27-year-old has a “big arm” according to Gammons, and though he has some inconsistency issues, his talents were highly sought after coming out of the Houston organization.
The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported earlier Tuesday that the Red Sox were interested in Albers, as someone who could make the bullpen deeper, while not neccessarily being a “primary reliever.”
