The Boston Red Sox found a diamond in the rough at a time when they needed it most.
Reliever John Scheiber was called up to the major-league roster for the first time on April 25, and has risen to become a staple of a bullpen that lacked defined roles to begin the season.
The right-hander with a unique arm angle has not only become Red Sox manager Alex Cora's top high-leverage setup man, but is being placed among Major League Baseball's best relievers by one of the most prominent reporters in the sport.
"This might be the dirtiest baker's dozen bullpen arms in baseball this season -- and that's saying something, because relief pitching across the MLB this year, especially among the elite performers, have been obscenely overpowered," ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted Wednesday.
On the list is Schreiber, whose 0.76 ERA, sixth among relievers with enough innings to qualify for the rankings was noted. He also featured just 12 hits allowed, a 28-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio and just one home run allowed in 22 2/3 innings.
"It's been awesome," Schreiber told NESN's Tom Caron on the "TC & Company Podcast" on Thursday regarding his ability to contribute in the biggest spots. "The more I'm out there the more confidence I get. I think that's just been a major factor, is just having more confidence when I go out there. And I think that's what's helped me have some success out there on the mound. Over the past couple of years, I think I've grown mentally a lot and it's been exciting."
To hear the full conversation about a secret tradition following wins, Schreiber's career arc and how he changed his approach to become a force for the Red Sox, check out the latest episode of the "TC & Company Podcast" on iTunes or Spotify.
