The Red Sox are signing right-hander Kyle Barraclough to a minor league deal, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive. He will report to Triple-A Worcester.
Barraclough, 33, has plenty of big league experience on his résumé, often pairing excellent strikeout stuff with control issues. From 2015 to 2017, he made 166 appearances for the Marlins, walking 14.5% of batters faced but punching out 31.7%. Despite the free passes, he was able to register an ERA of 2.87 in that stretch while recording one save and 57 holds.
From there, his results took a bad turn when home run troubles were added into the mix. From 2018 through 2022, his strikeout rate dipped to 25.1%, still above league average but below his own previous results. His 13.2% walk rate was a slight improvement for him but still very high. Meanwhile, 21 home runs in 111 1/3 innings pushed his ERA to 4.69 in that stretch. That pushed him into journeyman mode as he bounced from the Marlins to the Nationals, Giants, Twins and Angels.
This year, Barraclough has been pitching for the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League. He’s seemingly been quite flexible about his usage, tossing 18 innings over seven appearances, starting two games but finishing three others. He’s allowed just two earned runs so far, leading to an ERA of 1.00 on the year. He has 17 strikeouts, four walks and has hit one batter. His last appearance was on Wednesday when he tossed 83 pitches over five innings, allowing one run on three hits and two walks while punching out three.
It’s unclear if the Sox want Barraclough to continue his recent move to the rotation or go back to his customary relief role, but they have challenges in both departments. In the rotation, both Nick Pivetta and Corey Kluber struggled enough to get bumped to the bullpen and Chris Sale and Tanner Houck have landed on the injured list. The relief corps currently has each of Richard Bleier, Zack Kelly, Joely Rodríguez, John Schreiber and Wyatt Mills on the IL.
However he’s deployed, Barraclough will give the club some non-roster depth as he tries to earn his way back to the big leagues. If he makes it there, he actually has an option year remaining, allowing him to provide the club with some roster flexibility. He could also be theoretically retained for 2024 via arbitration since he won’t be able to reach six years of service time here in 2023.
WOW!
Did I get that right?
Yes. Nailed it.
Bear claw. If they had only kept Danish.
Meh. We need another relief guy with dodgy control? We are trying to jettison those guys.
Beggars can’t be choosers. They need depth. The staff is not doing bad at the moment but long will it last and will there be more injuries? Keep Pavetta in the pen because he’s looked very good so far.
Carbo loading with empty calories. But yum!
This is his chance to clough his way back into the majors.
We need soooooo much help for this team it sickens me … Devera is the only superstar we have I love trevor story and he is a superstar too but aside that we need too really start building a better team .. and I’m still mad we didn’t get nothing for Xander and let’s be real we all knew he wasn’t staying so y did they not trade him at the deadline they were out of it and had a crazy payroll.. just like verdugo is good but I’m sorry I could have did wayyyyyyyyy better for mookie Betts it’s just sad what they got .. just like they could have had grustaral or however u spell.it lol as a decent reliever there’s just so much this team has done too us now . Ever since the last world series ownership don’t care no more .. I hope over the next three years we pick up alot of the Japan superstars that are gonna be coming over especially the pitchers there’s some studs one being sasaki
Good lord
We need to trade for the other teams best relievers because they will certainly give them up.No team has perfect pitchers 1 -14 or however many relievers teams have.
Would be a nice comeback story. There was a time he was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. Been a minute.
I’d rather see Bartolo sign with someone
So the Red Sox have several guys with excellent OBPs.
Yoshida .380 in 63 games
Refsnyder .418 in 44 games
Duvall .403 in 17 games
Verdugo .372 in 69 games
Duran .354 in 55 games
Turner .352 in 69 games
Devers is still considered the best hitter despite his woes in 2023 so why is it so hard for Cora to figure out who should be at the top of the order?
Of the full time players Yoshida is the highest so it makes sense he bat first or second.
Verdugo is fast and has a great OBP so far so Verdugo should lead off since he’s much faster than Yoshida and Yoshida should bat second in front of Devers. That should be as simple as addition or subtraction.
After Devers you want someone who can drive him in like JT who is right handed. Then Duran makes sense behind him followed by Duvall. Poof a top of the line-up to maximize run production.
Verdugo in RF
Yoshida in LF
Devers at 3B
JT at 2B
Duran at CF
Duvall at DH
After that do the best with what is left:
Casas 1B
Wong C
Reyes SS
This line-up compares favorably with the Yankees missing Judge. It’s a step down from TB, TOR and BAL but it’s comparable to most other teams in the AL with a few exceptions.
Too bad Cora can’t figure this out, especially the Yoshida part. Yoshida should not be batting down in the order with his OBP and the way he puts the ball in play. If Devers ever comes out of his $31MM funk, he needs base runners to produce his RBIs.
Also, for those of you riding the roller coaster of emotions with this team simply think what should they do in the next series and expect the opposite. It fits almost all their series to date. Yankees? Expect a loss so they sweep. Colorado in Boston expect a sweep but instead they lose two of three. Three games in NY expect to be swept and they win 2 of 3. Three games in Boston vs CIN expect a sweep and CIN wins 2 of 3.
Now they are off to play the 36-36 first place Twins after taking 2 of 3 in Boston from them you might expect 2 of 3 losses in Minnesota. All I can suggest is that it won’t finish 1-2 in MIN!! What a weird year for series outcomes.
Well Devers is 2nd in baseball with RBI so something is going right.
only KD would rant about Devers in a post about a depth signing.
Some people just look for a Sox article to have a space to toss out their thoughts about the team.
As long as the statement isn’t as simple as BLOOM TO RED SOX HOF!!! or BLOOM PEEEED IN MY WHEATIES!!!! I say we’re all hear to talk baseball content.
Except the ones whose mom’s uncle’s cousin’s lover works from home in their basement and made $284,894,484,295 working from home last month, so, click here.
I have yet to see a single post suggesting the Bloom belongs in the hall of fame (especially after the Dermondy debacle). The vast majority are the ones that boil down to the “HIM STOOPID” wheaties variety of which you speak which is basically KD’s hallmark.
you can attempt to rationalize what he and others are doing by saying we are here for content but it’s still completely ridiculous to spend time complaining about Devers in an article about a depth minor league signing.
I say we’re all hear to talk baseball content.
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Some of the interaction is beyond silly. It is almost like there is a sub-section under trolling called “trolling Red Sox minor league depth signing’. I’m not sure that MLB-R even reports minor league signings for the other 29 teams since they won’t get 100 responses.
And every once in a while, I’d like to see the anti-Bloom types enjoying our modest winning streaks.
And occasionally, a post by KD where he doesn’t feel the compulsion to bash Devers.
I think you’d see more enthusiasm for a winning streak if the consistency jellied for this team.
When there’s a win streak, it almost always falls close by a sustained nose dive losing streak, either before or after. Taking down the Yankees was nice. But it followed a poor series with COL.
If this team can get to where they’re above .500 at any 10 game interval someone can choose within a month of play, I think you’d get what you want. Otherwise it’s feast or famine with this group, and, the mental errors and self inflicted damage via lineup/roster construction deflates the balloon a bit.
you criticism is fair. this team is extremely streaking. I don’t need sunshines and all positivity just for the criticism to be fair. Problem is the majority of the criticism isn’t really fair.
GASox – Well said!
The Sox were 7-15 prior to this win streak, they need to win the next 2 games just to break even since May 21st.
And while we are on the subject, why does Casas put black/red/white/glitter nail polish on his fingernails and toenails? If he’s afraid to fully come out, just do it man … fans will support you.
What he needs to do is take the time spent on his nails and watch more film on opposing pitchers, hit the batting cages, and take some fielding drills.
Otherwise it’s feast or famine with this group, and, the mental errors and self inflicted damage
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Frustrating to say the least, but I think it also makes the good streaks that much more enjoyable.
And IMHO, I think part of the inconsistency issue is that we are playing a lot of guys that have relatively little experience. Wong, Casas, and Duran have less than 1,000 career ABs, and Yoshida, while experienced, has never faced MLB pitchers before.
And on the rotation side, Houck, Whitlock, Bello & Crawford have less than 650 IPs between them, and less than 100 starts between the four of them.
OTOH, the inconsistency is offset by a fair degree of youth and control. I find that extremely interesting.
LOL! Any tips on his wardrobe?
FPG: or maybe it’s just how he choses to express himself? not everyone that wears nail polish has to be gay. If he is good for him but making stereotypical assumptions isn’t all that helpful.
Bruin – Devers has always been a great clutch hitter, that’s what separated him from Xander offensively.
IMVHO, Devers had the fear factor that Papi had. He’s a very good, but not great hitter. But the opposing pitcher knows how quickly he can turn a game around.
Joe – Devers reminds me more of Manny, always relaxed and aloof no matter what the situation.
In 2007 Manny said “Losing the ALCS (to Cleveland) wouldn’t be the end of the world”. When you remove the fear of failure, you are empowered.
Devers also does that thing that Manny did, where it looks like he is stepping out of the box to review the pitch sequence. Love him or hate him, Manny was a hitting genius.
Bloom must have scouts all over the school yards and beer leagues to keep finding these gems.
Having enough scouts for all that is possibly behind the push by owners to limit front office payroll openings…
Another “Bloom-Tastic” signing! I’m feeling real nothing about this.
I’m feeling real nothing about this.
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Finally, someone that gets it. Minor league depth signings aren’t supposed to elicit almost any emotion whatsoever.
I think he was being sarcastic Joe.
And I disagree. Its OK to get excited about a minor league signing. Most should be ambivalent moves.
But it’s also OK to complain, in a VERY limited set of circumstances. Minor league rosters are still size limited. So, if you’re overloaded at a position, and, the gm/pbo keeps signing guys to that same spot, but, neglects an area of need…. that’d be a head scratcher you can complain a out.
Example: IF bos signs a bunch of fringe 1B players without much upside. You’d say, why? We need middle infielders.
That said, this move on its face shouldn’t get much emotion. You just hope it’s a guy you never need if he plays like he has against mlb-caliber talent.
pretty sure Joe was being sarcastic too…
Could be. If so I missed that.
GASox – I thought you were being sarcastic about Joe being sarcastic.
See this is why I don’t do sarcasm, because it’s often too hard to tell especially with typed words.
There needs to be a specific sarcasm font to avoid confusion. Other sites do that.
acel – That’s actually a good idea, I haven’t seen that on other sites. You’re not talking about just italics are you?
I’ve seen some sites use italics other just a different font that’s specific to sarcasm.
I dont spend enough time on sites to really see the idea of a sarcasm font. While not everyone would know to use it, likely it would eliminate more misunderstandings than it causes – presuming the board software supports such things.
For all the time I visit here, it’s one of a very few places I keep a digital footprint.
There’s one car messageboard I’m still fairly active on, and 3 others I’ve got a legacy presence of sorts – 2 where I once moderated in the late 1990s through mid 2000s – those three a drop in once every month or two to check in on messages people drop to me – and one where I go just for the obsolete parts ads. Other than that, well… zip. At least since MLB turned off their comment section. Used to hang out there when an article comment section got turned into an unofficial live chat during each game night. Those were fun times.
No, I was being completely honest. We have the 14th best record, meaning 16 teams have already passed on the dude. And since a trade was always possible prior to being waived, I think it is safe to assume that none of the 30 teams were interested in adding him to the 780 active players.
So realistically, maybe Bear Claw is maybe #1500 in terms of overall talent, including the minors. There is just no reason to either hate or love the move.
Mr. Kyle is the definition of
effectively wild…..
Chaim loves his high strikeout shaky control guys. Let’s hope it pays off.