The Boston Red Sox had to have entered the season knowing that if any one area of the team were to struggle, the bullpen would likely be first to flop.
With Tanner Houck’s blown save in Wednesday’s 7-6 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, the Red Sox have now dipped back below a .500 save percentage. Boston has 21 blown saves and 20 saves. The Sox also have the second most blown saves in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays.
Given their lackluster production from the relief core paired with a rotating cast of starters who have needed some quick hooks as of late, the Red Sox could use a reliever or two.
Fortunately, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom is well aware of the issue and reportedly is seeking two right-handed relievers at the MLB trade deadline.
Here are some options Bloom could look to with the deadline fast approaching:
David Bednar, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
If Bloom and company want to make a splash move at the deadline, Bednar would be the biggest realistic option on the table.
The right-handed closer has 17 saves in 21 opportunities to pair with a 2.76 ERA in 45 2/3 innings across 39 games. He’d be a fantastic addition to the roster regardless of the team’s current skid because he is under team control through 2026.
It would take some serious prospect compensation to pry the All-Star hurler away from the Pirates, but investing in a closer of the future might be worth it.
David Robertson, RHP, Chicago Cubs
Robertson is being deemed as the top rental on the bullpen market. Whether the Red Sox will buy, sell or be somewhere in between remains to be seen, so Roberston might not be the best option.
However, the 37-year-old right-hander has elite offspeed offerings and would immediately become a top arm in the Boston bullpen should it invest in his services. If Bloom truly wants to go for it with the current roster, Robertson will certainly be one of the names on his list.
Daniel Bard, RHP, Colorado Rockies
Bard is another 37-year-old rental in the mix for Boston. He’s the second-best option behind Robertson by most analysts but has been the better closer this season. The former Red Sox has 21 saves in 23 opportunities with a 1.91 ERA in 37 2/3 innings.
Given his prowess with the game on the line, Bard could be the best option to bolster the Red Sox bullpen.
Joe Jiménez, RHP, Detroit Tigers
Jiménez is one of a plethora of potential trade targets to be acquired from the Tigers firesale in the coming days. The 6-foot-3, 277-pound hurler has some of the best metrics in MLB.
The right-hander doesn’t allow hard contact, is in the 96th percentile for strikeouts, 90th percentile for chase rate and 80th percentile for whiff rate. His fastball averages 95.7 mph with good spin and he features a plus slider and changeup.
Jiménez is under team control through 2023, meaning the Red Sox’s current position in the standings should not have a major impact on whether the team invests in the 27-year-old reliever.
Anthony Bass, RHP, Miami Marlins
Bass has been one of the best high-leverage arms in the league this season, with a 1.48 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. The right-hander should be fairly affordable from a prospect haul stance and has a very affordable $3 million club option tied to him for 2023.
The only real concern with Bass lies in his age. The 34-year-old hurler is at the peak of his powers and will be a hot commodity by Tuesday’s deadline. That said, trading for an aging veteran and then banking on similar success in 2023 is a gamble. Still, the Red Sox are in no position to be picky.
