The Boston Red Sox may not have concluded 2019 exactly where they had hoped, but Brandon Workman certainly put together an impressive campaign of his own.
The closer was one of Boston’s most consistent arms throughout the year, as evidenced by his 10-1 record — the best of his career. Workman allowed just 29 hits and 18 runs through 71 2/3 innings, earning himself a notable 1.88 ERA with 16 saves along the way.
Still, MLB.com’s Will Leitch ranks Workman as the No. 17 closer in Major League Baseball. The writer explained his reasoning in a column released Saturday ranking the league’s top 30 closers:
“He was the guy last year, saving a lot of games that didn’t really matter, but if the Red Sox hang on and contend for most of the season, a closer absolutely looks like something they’d keep an eye out for at the deadline,” Leitch wrote.
Though Workman’s 2019 numbers are impressive, the 31-year-old isn’t the most experienced closer. He only recently stepped into his current role after Boston declined to re-sign Craig Kimbrel following the organization’s 2018 World Series title.
Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see what role Workman will play for Boston in 2020, which is right around the corner with pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to Fort Meyers, Fla. on Thursday.
