Red Sox bring back a member of 2023 bullpen, adding left-handed depth
Red Sox bring back a member of 2023 bullpen, adding left-handed depth
The Red Sox are bringing back a member of the 2023 team.
Veteran lefty Joely Rodríguez has returned to the Red Sox on a minor league deal, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. He will join big league camp, however, he does not have a spot on the 40-man roster.
Rodríguez spent most of last season on the injured list, pitching in only 11 games for the Red Sox. He will get a chance to compete in spring training for a spot in the bullpen.
Boston has few in-house options, Joe Jacques, Brennan Bernardino, Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter, Lucas Luetge and Cam Booser as options to crack the major league roster.
Jorge Benítez and Helcris Olivarez are in camp as non-roster invitees, vying for a spot on the roster. Benítez has been impressive early on, earning compliments from skipper Alex Cora.
New Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey spoke with Sean McAdam and confirmed the signing.
“Excited for him. We know health is a priority for him,” Bailey said. “He’s got electric stuff. He’s around here getting his physical done. Excited to meet him. I know he’s a loud, boisterous personality and a good guy to have around so we’re excited to have him back here.”
Rodríguez came to the Red Sox days before Thanksgiving in the offseason of 2022 on a one-year, $2 million deal. He was the first signing for then chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.
In the 11 games he appeared in for the Red Sox, he posted a 6.55 ERA.
Injuries were the theme for the southpaw, suffering an oblique strain in spring training, delaying his team debut until May. Once on the mound for the Red Sox, Rodríguez was hammered on the hill, giving up eight earned runs in five contests.
He would hit the injured list again with shoulder inflammation in June and then suffered a season-ending hip injury in July. Boston declined his team option on November making him a free agent.
Over the course of the next few weeks, the lefty options for the bullpen will make their case to win a spot on the Opening Day roster.
“We’ve got to get lefties out. You can’t ever have enough lefties,” he said. “There was an opportunity from the front office to sign him and we jumped at it.”
