Ex-MLB Pitcher Optimistic About ‘Youth Movement’ Within Red Sox
Boston has several youngsters on the rise
The Boston Red Sox are undergoing a critical offseason, and are in clear need of roster improvements before the start of the 2024 season.
At the same time, there are still several key pieces in place within Boston’s current roster that shined several lights amid a daunting last-place finish in the American League East in 2023. That was enough to create a level of optimism to look forward to heading into a clean slate in 2024, especially with the addition of new pitching coach Andrew Bailey, according to former big league pitcher of four seasons Jensen Lewis.
“The youth movement is alive,” Lewis told MLB Network Radio on Wednesday. “Alex Cora, not afraid to bring in some young minds, some progressive thinkers. It can’t get much more progressive than being under Gabe Kapler for multiple years. Very, very intrigued to see what Andrew Bailey brings from the West Coast to the East Coast as far as that goes.”
Bailey, who spent two seasons as Boston’s closer, quickly transitioned from playing to a coaching career.
“You got some young guys in Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck. Some bullpen arms there in (Josh) Winckowski and, of course, Garrett Whitlock, John Schreiber who was phenomenal for them. (Brennan) Bernardino from the left side. … I’m sure they’ll really be excited to see a familiar face.”
Bello led the entire staff in innings pitched (157). The 24-year-old helped stabilize the starting rotation as the unofficial ace, giving Cora a career-best campaign in terms of growth and reliability. Of course, with most of Boston’s key arms all hitting the injured list at some point throughout the year, getting a career-high 28 starts out of Bello was massively encouraging.
