John Schreiber continues to get key outs for the Red Sox, building off an impressive 2022 season
When the Red Sox claimed right-handed reliever John Schreiber off waivers from the Tigers, he was an unproven arm that has turned into one of the team’s best relievers.
Schreiber has been with Boston since the middle of the 2021 season. The Tigers moved on from the former 15th round draft pick and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom took a chance on the righty.
The Wyandotte, Michigan native has gone from a DFA candidate to one of Alex Cora’s top bullpen options.
He pitched one game in 2021 for Boston, the following season with the team in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak in April, Schreiber was called up to cover some innings. He’s been with the club ever since.
This season, Schreiber has reaped the benefits of a strong offseason where he got into better shape. The Red Sox put together a plan for him to lose about 15 pounds to regain some mobility in order to navigate the season better.
Boston overworked Schreiber in 2022, the righty was one of the few reliable relievers for Cora.
“I was just kicking my ass in the gym and didn’t see any results initially, so I was pretty upset then kicked it up another notch,” he said to The Athletic in early April.
After a rocky spring, the 29-year-old has been building off his impressive results.
In 17 games this season, he owns a 2.16 ERA with 20 strikeouts and a 1.320 WHIP over 16 2/3 innings pitched.
Schreiber has been excellent since last August. He has a 1.93 ERA in his last 34 outings dating back to 8/24/22, (7 ER/32.2 IP). During that stretch, 27 of those outings were scoreless.
The right-handed hurler has only allowed two home runs in 48 innings pitched since the 2022 All-Star break.
Since Schreiber came to Boston, he’s transformed himself into a high-leverage reliever. He’s delivered key outs with the game in the balance, complimenting the new Red Sox bullpen.
With the addition of Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen in the offseason, the Red Sox immediately took the pressure off Schreiber with other options. Martin and Jansen have pitched in key situations this season, including veteran closer earning his 400th career save.
With adrenaline pumping through his veins when he’s on the mound, Schreiber has continued to build off his success with the Red Sox. He’s been a key piece to a revamped bullpen, he’s in better shape and is putting up impressive numbers.
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