Craig Breslow Tabs Reliever As Red Sox Spring Training Standout

Justin Slaten came to the Boston Red Sox after stops with the Texas Rangers and a Rule 5 selection by the New York Mets.

Slaten joined Boston during the introduction of a new pitching regime, catching the attention of chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. So far, the right-hander has impressed during spring training. Slaten has yet to allow a run in four innings of work, surrendering just two hits while striking out four.

Breslow told The Athletic’s Jim Bowden that Slaten stands out as a surprise as Red Sox camp this spring, as noted in a recent column.

“Slaten has been impressive,” Breslow shared, per Bowden. “He’s shown the ability to get swings-and-misses in the zone on his secondaries with enough (on his fastball) to keep hitters off balance.”

Prior to joining the Red Sox, the 26-year-old had a standout year in 2023 between Double-A and Triple-A. Slaten posted a 2.87 ERA in 40 appearances, featuring a 1.073 WHIP while striking out 13 batters per nine innings. His recent improvement seems to be translating to the start of his Red Sox tenure.

As the Red Sox watch their bullpen take shape in spring training, Slaten may just be growing into an important role in Boston.