The Red Sox are making a minor move in the bullpen ahead of another massive series, this one a four-game set against Kansas City that begins Monday night.
Boston has designated left-hander Richard Bleier for assignment ahead of the series opener. The club recalled right-handed reliever Dinelson Lamet from Triple-A Worcester to take his spot on the big league roster, the club announced.
Bleier has appeared in 27 games for the Sox this season but hasn't been used in especially high-leverage situations. The Red Sox are 8-19 in the games he has been called on to take the mound. Bleier really struggled recently, allowing at least one earned run in four of his last five outings. Boston acquired Bleier from Miami in the offseason, and the southpaw struggled from the beginning, allowing six earned runs in his first 4 1/3 innings. He got his ERA down under 5.00 in late July for the first time all season before allowing five runs in his last five outings.
The Red Sox signed Lamet, a former top prospect, in late June after the Rockies released him. Lamet flashed his potential in 2020 when he went 3-1 with a 2.09 ERA in 12 starts for the Padres during the pandemic-shortened season. Lamet even finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting that year. Since then, however, he has allowed 78 earned runs in just 105 innings, hitting a low point out of the Colorado bullpen where he had an 11.57 ERA in 25 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old pitched OK for Worcester, allowing eight runs in 19 1/3 innings, mostly working as a starter.
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It's unclear whether the Red Sox will use Lamet as a starting pitcher or put him in the bullpen to make up for the loss of Bleier.
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