Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow talks about recently acquired relievers Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia
Prior to the MLB trade deadline, the Red Sox needed to desperately add to their bullpen. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow swung two trades to reinforce his bullpen by adding right-handed relievers Lucas Sims from the Reds and Luis Garcia from the Angels.
At the time of the trade, Sims owned a 3.57 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP and had 40 strikeouts to 20 walks in 35 1/3 innings out of the Reds bullpen.
Since coming to Boston, his numbers haven’t been sharp, posting a 5.87 ERA with six strikeouts to three walks in eight games over 7 2/3 innings.
“Sims, outside of one outing, has been consistently pretty good,” said Breslow. “It’s pretty clear why he was attractive given his ability to spin the ball, get swings and misses, and throw multiple breaking balls in the zone. He has a fastball that you have to respect.”
Sims has been better of late, since allowing four earned runs against the Astros in 1/3 innings on Aug. 9. He’s hurled three scoreless innings over his last three outings while allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
García, on the other hand, has been downright putrid since Boston surrendered four minor leaguers for him just minutes before the deadline expired.
“With García, it has obviously been a tough go lately,” added Breslow to reporters. “He was throwing the ball exceptionally well when we got him. Was keeping the ball on the ground, was limiting the damage, and we haven’t seen that yet. I think there’s some usage stuff we’ve picked up on. He’s attacking the strike zone, but we’ve got to minimize hard contact. I think there’s a few ways we can approach that.”
The 37-year-old rental carried a 3.71 ERA through 43 2/3 innings while with the Angels. He posted an impressive 51.2% ground ball rate with the Halos and a 22% strikeout clip. He’s primarily relied on a power sinker to keep the ball down, according to Baseball Savant.
Since joining the Red Sox, García has allowed 13 runs (12 earned) in 7 2/3 frames. Opposing hitters are salivating from the mouth when he’s on the mound, hitting .400 against him since the trade deadline. He’s posted an atrocious 14.09 ERA since joining Boston’s bullpen, allowing runs in every appearance, other than his team debut on Aug. 2 in Texas.
Sims looks to be seemingly settling in, while García is becoming a liability every time he takes the ball for Red Sox skipper Alex Cora.
“We’re going to be aggressive,” Cora told reporters ahead of the series in Baltimore. “We’re going to use everybody, and we’re going to try to get 27 outs however we can to win games. We’re in the middle of a playoff chase, and if I feel like that’s the moment of the game, that’s the moment of the game. Sometimes, it’s going to work; sometimes, it’s not going to work.
“But it’s not going to be for the lack of aggressiveness. If I feel like they’re throwing the ball well, we’ll keep rolling with them. If I feel like the matchups, benefit the bullpen, we’ll go to the bullpen.”
As the Red Sox continue to chase down the Royals for the final spot for the American League Wild Card, the team will need both righties to step up in the bullpen alongside Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen. If García continues to scuffle, it remains to be seen if Breslow will pull the cord and designate him for assignment in favor of other options pitching in Triple-A Worcester.
