Craig Breslow identifies on internal candidate to replace Lucas Giolito in the rotation
The Red Sox are in need of another starting pitcher, which has been echoed all offseason long. On Tuesday, the club announced that right-hander pitcher Lucas Giolito is likely to miss the upcoming season due to a partially torn UCL and flexor strain.
With Giolito out the Red Sox are now left scrambling to find internal depth options but could turn to right-hander Cooper Criswell.
Craig Breslow spoke with The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey and mentioned Criswell as someone who could see innings as a starter this coming season.
“It would be unfair to say we overlooked him, but we just weren’t as familiar with him given that he wasn’t with us,” Breslow said, per McCaffrey. “I think what has been impressive and what we knew we were getting is an elite strike-thrower. I think there were some questions as to whether or not we can help boost the stuff and I think in pretty short order, it’s ticked up a little bit while maintaining the ability to shape pitches very, very well and pounding the strike zone. So I think he’s definitely put himself in the conversation.”
Criswell signed with the Red Sox during the offseason on a one-year, $1 million deal.
The soft-tossing righty has been impressed by both Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey.
“I loved what they both (Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey) had to say,” Criswell said at Red Sox Winter Weekend.
What does Criswell bring to the table the Red Sox really like?
Boston likes the movement of two pitches within his repertoire, his sinker and sweeper.
“I really think they like my arsenal of the movement of the sinker and sweeper. And then focusing in on that cutter. And then the changeup has improved, too, the past two years. So I think just really focusing in on that cutter. Me and Bails (Bailey) have been doing a little throwing program Driveline-wise, trying to gain a little velo here and there. So if I could be able to do that, that would be awesome.”
His sweeper has been by far his most effective pitch, despite the limited sample size at the big-league level. He threw 154 sweepers last year, holding opponents to a .211 batting average (8-for-38) and .166 expected batting average, per Baseball Savant.
“I would consider a sweeper one of my best pitches, for sure,” Criswell said. “I feel comfortable throwing any of those, especially the three — sinker/slider/changeup — any pitch, any count. I’m getting the confidence in the cutter just as much as the other three pitches.”
Criswell began to throw a cutter in-game last season.
“So just messing around with grips and stuff,” he said. “Bails has been awesome with that. Just helping me on grips. I actually threw a bullpen yesterday and really liked the results that we’ve been getting on the cutter.”
