Red Sox Reportedly Bring Back Pitcher Who Could Solve Potential Problem

The Red Sox’s bullpen was OK last season despite Boston’s last-place finish and has the potential to be a relative strength again in 2024.

The unit definitely skews right-handed, though, which likely explains why the Red Sox reportedly re-signed left-handed reliever Joely Rodríguez.

The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams reported Thursday morning that Rodríguez was at the club’s spring training complex in Fort Myers. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo added shortly thereafter, citing a source, that the 32-year-old southpaw inked a minor-league contract.

The Red Sox only have four left-handed pitchers — Brennan Bernardino, Joe Jacques, Brandon Walter and Chris Murphy — on their 40-man roster. Rodríguez joins Lucas Luetge, Helcris Olivarez, Jorge Benitez and Cam Booser as non-roster lefty options in big-league camp.

Bernardino likely will have a spot in Boston’s bullpen to open the season after his surprising emergence last year. Who, if anyone, from the aforementioned group will join him? Time will tell. But Rodríguez absolutely is a candidate given his notable track record prior to 2023.

“I think it’s an open competition,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Thursday at JetBlue Park. “We’ve got to throw strikes with good stuff and get both (right-handers and left-handers) out.”

The Red Sox declined Rodríguez’s club option for 2024 back in November, making him a free agent. He appeared in just 11 games with Boston last season due to injuries and posted a 6.55 ERA across 11 innings.

But Rodríguez had a decent 2022 with the New York Mets that included very strong underlying metrics. He’s a worthwhile low-risk lottery ticket for the Red Sox given the year-to-year volatility of relievers in today’s MLB.