Left-handed reliever Tyler Olson has agreed to a deal with the Red Sox, his representatives at Ball Players Agency announced on Twitter this morning. MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo tweets that it’s a minor league deal and Olson will head to extended Spring Training in Fort Myers, rather than the team’s alternate site in Worcester, to begin the year.
Olson, 31, signed with the Cubs last offseason but didn’t pitch in the big leagues in 2020. He was an oft-used member of the Indians’ bullpen from 2017-19, working to a combined 3.46 ERA with a 25.7 percent strikeout rate and a 10.1 percent walk rate through 78 frames.
Some fans may recall Olson’s brilliant 2017 campaign, during which he held opponents scoreless for 20 innings upon being called up from Triple-A for his team debut. Things obviously didn’t go as well for Olson in 2018-19, but he was still serviceable, logging a combined 4.66 ERA over those two seasons while actually increasing his strikeout rate.
Boston is likely to open the season with southpaws Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor in the bullpen, but there’s little in the way of left-handed relief depth in the organization behind that pair. The vast majority of bullpen candidates in the upper minors with the Sox are right-handed. Stephen Gonsalves, Kyle Hart and Matt Hall are the most experienced lefties likely to open the year at the Red Sox’ alternate site, and each has worked primarily as a starter in the minors.
The model of inconsistency. High variance in results. Never had a season anywhere near the averages of any of his statistics. Very strange.
Whyhayzee – Tyler Olson can not be any worse than Matt Hall was last year! The Red Sox AAA left handed bullpen pitching depth consist of: Stephen Gonsalves, Kyle Hart and Matt Hall.
I would say any left handed pitcher the Red Sox want to try out might be an improvement over what they have….so not so strange of a signing.
Thank you for your comment. It was the only one remotely connected to the article written about Tyler Olson.
Wou!d be better off with Jimmy Olson…and his buddy Clarke.
That glasses-wearing nerd?
Lois said in certain areas, he’s, well, super…..Of course Lex Luther said the same thing…you know how those Kryptonians are…..not that there’s anything wrong with that….
I said, “He’s a fairy, I do suppose
Flying through the air in pantyhose
He may be very sexy or even cute
But he looks like a sucker in a blue and red suit”
I said, “You need a man who’s got finesse
And his whole name across his chest
He may be able to fly all through the night
But can he rock a party ’til the early light?
He can’t satisfy you with his little worm
But I can bust you out with my super sperm”
Outstanding. Reminds of the Kent’s neighbor in Kansas, Joyce Kilmer, who famously penned:
“I think I shall never see
A poem as big as Clarke’s wee-wee”.
I’m sure Olson would like to tell everyone “Go Zags!” today.