MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — Brandon Workman isn’t going to let outside factors dictate his preparation.
Workman is a long shot to crack the Red Sox’s rotation, as Boston has five viable starting pitchers and several other prospects waiting in the wings. But the right-hander still plans to compete for a major league rotation spot, even if his best chance to break camp with the Sox is as a reliever.
“I haven’t heard any final decision. I’m going in there looking forward to competing, hopefully winning a spot,” Workman said Saturday at the Baseball Winter Weekend at Foxwoods Resort Casino. “Whether that’s in the rotation or bullpen has yet to be determined.
“I’d like to be in the rotation. I’m hoping I can win a job in the starting rotation. But we’ll see how that goes. I’m doing everything I can right now to prepare for it and get ready to put myself in a good spot to compete for that job.”
Workman served as a starter for much of 2014. He started off on the right foot but faltered later in the season, creating questions about whether the 26-year-old might be better-suited for a bullpen role. After all, he showed impressive late-inning potential during the Red Sox’s 2013 World Series run.
It’s clear Workman would like a chance to prove himself as a starter in camp, but the question is whether the Red Sox — a team rich with young pitching prospects — will afford him the opportunity. Boston, in theory, could tab him as a reliever as soon as pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers in roughly four weeks.
“I think it would be tough for anybody to accept not achieving what they want to,” Workman said. “So if that’s the case, then yeah, that would be a bitter pill to swallow.
“But, like I said, all I can do right now is work hard and put myself in the best position to not be in a six through 10 (spot) and be in a one through five spot (on the Red Sox’s rotation depth chart).”
Workman finished last season with a 1-10 record and 5.17 ERA in 19 appearances (15 starts). He pitched better than the final stat line indicates — he was snake-bitten several times by Boston’s anemic offense — but he didn’t do enough to assert himself as a future rotation cog. Neither did any of the other young starters who were called upon after the team traded away four-fifths of its Opening Day rotation.
As such, the Red Sox acquired three starters — Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson — at the Major League Baseball winter meetings. Boston’s rotation now figures to consist of Porcello, Miley, Masterson, Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly, leaving Workman and others on the outside looking in.
“I don’t think there’s any way to avoid looking at how that might affect you. If you can, you’re a better man than me,” Workman said of the moves. “At the same time, though, we’ve brought in a lot of good guys, a lot of good arms.
“However my role plays out, whatever that turns out to be, bringing in those guys is going to put us in a good position to have a lot of success this season, no matter what role I’m in or anyone else is in for that matter.”
Workman definitely will be called upon to contribute in 2015. He just might have to settle for the consolation prize that is a bullpen spot.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
