Red Sox Saturday Minor League Round Up
Sox add veteran left-hander starter, Christian Koss with a multi-homer game Friday
The Red Sox added another veteran arm to the mix on Friday signing left-hander Derek Holland to a minor league deal. Holland’s deal comes with an invite to Spring Training, per MLB.com’s Ian M Browne. Holland announced the signing through his personal Twitter.
Last season, Holland pitched to a 5.07 ERA in 49 1/3 innings last year for the Tigers. The 13-year veteran has pitched for six different teams over the course of his big league career. Holland has a career 83-83 record with a 4.62 ERA while making 228 starts. His best year was in 2011 where he won a career high 16 games while tossing four shutouts over 32 starts for the Rangers.
“Good pitcher, can get lefties out, has good stuff and is obviously a veteran guy,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “You see the trend the last 10 days -- we have added a few lefties. They’re very important. Lefties that can get righties out, they’re good, and he’s been around. Looking forward to having him here and seeing him compete -- let’s see where it takes us.”
Holland provides additional left-handed depth and could be in the mix to help make starts during Chris Sale’s absence.
Christian Koss with a multi-homer Spring Training game
Red Sox prospect Christian Koss had a memorable spring training game on Friday. The 24-year-old shortstop had a multi-homer game with his first coming in the bottom of the eight. Koss crushed homer to left field off Rays reliever Adrian De Horta.
With two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the ninth, Koss absolutely annihilated his second homer of the game. The solo bomb came off Rays reliever Joel Peguero giving the Sox a 7-6 walk-off win.
Koss’s dad was on top of the wall in left with his phone out filming his son’s at-bat. He was able to get both of his son’s homers on film - what a moment for Papa Koss.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisHenrique
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