Brandon Workman took a massive step forward in 2019, and he’s now getting some deserved attention around the league.
Following the departure of Craig Kimbrel following the 2018 season, Workman pitched so well that he effectively became the Boston Red Sox’s closer. So it shouldn’t come as much surprise that when former MLB general manager Jim Bowden, who now is an analyst for The Athletic, ranked the 10 best relievers in baseball, Workman made the cut.
Bowden had Workman at No. 7 and trending upward. Here’s some of his reasoning.
“Workman owns the lowest single-season opponent batting average of the modern era (minimum 60 innings pitched) recording a .123 mark in 2019,” Bowden wrote. “His .166 opponent slugging percentage is also the lowest in the expansion era. He was one of only three AL relievers to reach 100 strikeouts last season while setting career highs with 10 wins, 16 saves, 73 appearances and 104 strikeouts.”
Should the MLB season get going, the closer job basically is Workman’s to lose. And should he continue on the upward trajectory that he set upon in 2019, it’ll spell good things for the back end of the Sox’s bullpen.
