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James Paxton Diagnosed With Partially Torn Calf

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3:10pm: Manager Alex Cora tells the Sox beat that Paxton is a “long shot” to return in 2024 (X link via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). The skipper added that Criswell, once healthy, will rejoin the rotation as the team’s fifth starter (X link via MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo).

2:30pm: Red Sox left-hander James Paxton tells reporters that he’s been diagnosed with a partial tear of his right calf muscle (X link via WEEI’s Rob Bradford). The veteran southpaw acknowledged that it could sideline him for the remainder of the year but will still try to rehab in an effort to make it back before the season concludes.

The Sox placed Paxton on the 15-day injured list with a calf strain yesterday. The term “strain” itself, by definition, indicates there is a degree of stretching or tearing, so today’s announcement isn’t a total surprise. That said, the fact that he’s possibly facing an absence of six-plus weeks indicates that it’s a tear of some note — the latest in a long line of injuries that have plagued the talented left-hander throughout his big league career.

Paxton, 35, spent the 2022-23 seasons in Boston. He missed the entire ’22 campaign due to Tommy John surgery but returned in 2023 to pitch 96 innings of 4.50 ERA ball with more promising strikeout and walk rates. The Dodgers signed him to a one-year, $7MM deal with incentives that could take the contract up to $13MM. He unlocked all of those incentives before being designated for assignment and traded to the Red Sox in return for minor league infielder Moises Bolivar.

The Sox hoped that Paxton would help shore up an injury-depleted starting rotation, but it’s now possible they’ll receive only three starts from him. Paxton notched a solid 4.09 ERA in his 11 innings following the trade but exited his third and potentially final start after recording just two outs. He was Boston’s lone veterean acquisition prior to the trade deadline, meaning the Sox will again be left to rely on the quartet of Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello and Nick Pivetta, with scant depth behind the group. Righty Cooper Criswell has pitched well but has little track record and is currently out with Covid-19. Fellow righty Josh Winckowski has also made a handful of starts and could see further action down the stretch.

Paxton’s injury could open the door for young Quinn Priester, whom the Sox acquired from the Pirates in exchange for infield prospect Nick Yorke. Priester, a former first-round pick and top prospect, has yet to establish himself as a consistently viable big league starter. He’s logged a 6.46 ERA in 94 2/3 big league innings to this point in his young career, but the 23-year-old has generally fared well in the upper minors — an ugly two-game stint with the Sox’ Triple-A club in Worcester notwithstanding.

It’s a tenuous situation in Boston — one that would blow up in particularly bad fashion were one of Houck, Crawford or Pivetta to go down with an injury of note. Boston traded Chris Sale to the Braves in a regrettable offseason swap that netted infielder Vaughn Grissom. He was “replaced” by right-hander Lucas Giolito, who required season-ending internal brace surgery before the 2024 campaign began. Righty Garrett Whitlock had his own internal brace operation back in May. Depth arms like Chris Murphy and Bryan Mata have also been non-factors this season due to injury.

The Red Sox currently sit in third place in the AL East despite a strong 62-55 record. They’re only two games back in the American League Wild Card hunt, landing .001 percentage points ahead of the 63-56 Mariners but trailing the 65-54 Royals for the final Wild Card spot.

Brad Keller Elects Free Agency

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Red Sox right-hander Brad Keller has elected to become a free agent, reports Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. As a player with five-plus years of big league service, Keller must consent to being optioned to the minors. He agreed to be optioned once earlier this season, but when the Red Sox sought to option him earlier this week, he instead exercised his right to become a free agent and seek a new opportunity.

Keller, 29, was a fixture in the Royals’ rotation from 2018-23. One of the more successful Rule 5 picks in recent memory — Kansas City plucked him out of the D-backs’ organization in the 2017 Rule 5 Draft — he enjoyed three sharp seasons as a starter for the Royals before struggling repeatedly from 2021-23, often due to injuries. After logging a 3.50 ERA in 360 1/3 innings for K.C. from 2018-20, Keller was roughed up for a 5.14 mark in the three subsequent seasons. Things went way off the rails in 2023, when he walked 45 hitters in 45 1/3 innings before going on the injured list and eventually undergoing thoracic outlet surgery.

The White Sox signed Keller to a minor league deal over the winter, and he had a brief run with Chicago before being designated for assignment and electing free agency. The Red Sox scooped him up in late May. After a tough debut in Baltimore, he settled in to pitch well over a string of eight long-relief appearances, but Boston sent him to the minors in late June (a move he approved at the time). He was recalled on Friday, surrendered three runs in four innings against the Astros on Saturday, and was optioned back to Triple-A Worcester on Monday — this time exercising his right to become a free agent.

Overall, Keller has pitched 37 1/3 innings between the ChiSox and BoSox this season. He’s logged a discouraging 5.30 ERA in that time, but his season isn’t without its silver linings. First and foremost, the disastrous command issues he displayed last season have come back down to Earth. In fact, Keller has not only put last year’s ghastly 21.3% walk rate behind him — he’s sporting a career-low 7.7% walk rate in his 37 1/3 frames. His 17.8% strikeout rate is below the league average but is right in line with the 17.4% mark he posted prior to his TOS-ruined 2023 season. Keller has seen the velocity on his four-seamer and sinker tick up slightly (though he’s also primarily been working in relief, so that’s not necessarily due to better health), and this year’s 9.1% swinging-strike rate is the second-best mark of his career (but still worse than league-average).

Down in Triple-A, things have gone better. He’s pitched a nearly identical slate of 38 innings there and has similar walk and strikeout rates to the ones he’s posted in the majors. However, he’s sporting a 4.26 ERA that’s more than a full run lower than his MLB ERA, due largely to the fact that he’s been able to avoid the long ball in a way he hasn’t at the MLB level (0.24 HR/9 in Triple-A, 1.93 HR/9 in MLB). In all likelihood, his home run rate in the majors is due for some positive regression, while his home run rate in the minors is likely due to swing the other direction.

For a team needing some late-season rotation depth or length in the bullpen, the veteran Keller could be a worthy flier. The Twins, Astros, Guardians, Mets, Braves and Padres are among the postseason hopefuls who have incurred injuries or are experiencing notable workload concerns among their current crop of starting pitchers.

Red Sox Select Chase Shugart, Mickey Gasper; Designate Jamie Westbrook For Assignment

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The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves today. Righty Brayan Bello has been reinstated from the paternity list and left-hander Bailey Horn has been recalled, while the club selected the contracts of right-hander Chase Shugart and catcher/infielder Mickey Gasper. It was reported last night that left-hander James Paxton suffered a right calf strain and he now lands on the 15-day injured list. Lefty Brennan Bernardino has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester, as has righty Brad Keller. A fourth active roster spot was opened with the Jarren Duran suspension, reported earlier today. To open a 40-man roster spot, infielder/outfielder Jamie Westbrook has been designated for assignment. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported Shugart’s promotion on X prior to the official announcement.

Shugart, 27, gets the call to the big leagues for the first time. A 12th-round pick of the Sox in 2018, he has been working his way up the minor league ladder since then. He worked exclusively as a starter through 2021 but has primarily been working out of the bullpen since then.

His initial forays into Triple-A ball didn’t go well, as he posted a 6.82 earned run average at that level in 2022 and then an 8.22 ERA there last year. He’s had more success here in 2024, with a 4.98 ERA in 59 2/3 innings. That’s largely come in a multi-inning capacity, as he’s logged those frames over 28 appearances, including five starts. His 10.9% walk rate is a bit on the high side but he has punched out 26.6% of opponents this year and gotten grounders on 46.8% of balls in play.

Baseball America had Shugart on the back end of their organizational top 30 list back in 2019 and 2020 but not in recent years. The Sox are likely going to be leaning on him for a long man role in the coming days. Paxton suffered his injury after recording just two outs, forcing the bullpen to do yeoman’s work. Bernardino tossed an inning a third while each of Lucas Sims, Luis García and Cam Booser tossed two innings. First baseman Dominic Smith pitched a scoreless ninth with the Sox down 10-2 to the Astros. The Sox also did a bullpen game the day before, with Josh Winckowski covering three innings, Brad Keller eating up four, while Zack Kelly and Chris Martin picked up one each.

All told, the pitching staff is fairly taxed and the Sox don’t have another off-day until August 22, over a week from now. Righty Cooper Criswell went on the COVID IL recently and has an unknown timeline. With Paxton now out as well, the rotation is down to Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Nick Pivetta. Perhaps Winckowski will get another shot after throwing three innings on the weekend, or perhaps Criswell can make a quick return. The club also has Quinn Priester on optional assignment and could recall him at some point. But in the meantime, Shugart can sop up some innings, if needed.

Gasper, 28, was also selected in the 2018 draft, but by the Yankees. He came to the Red Sox via the minor league phase of the 2023 Rule 5 draft. He has generally put up positive numbers in a hit-over-power fashion, though he’s always been old for whatever level he’s been playing at. He didn’t reach Triple-A until last year, his age-27 season, and hit .191/.295/.265 in his first 22 games at that level.

This year has gone much better. He’s played 44 Double-A games and 40 at Triple-A. Between those two clubs, he has a 15.9% walk rate, 11% strikeout rate and .341/.458/.559 batting line that translates to a wRC+ of 175.

Despite the massive batting line, Gasper’s not really considered a top prospect, though it would make for a great story if he could engineer a late-bloomer breakout. He has played catcher, first base and second base this year, in addition to a bit of third base time in previous seasons. He figures to slot into the club’s bench mix, giving them depth at various spots.

Westbrook, 29, signed a minor league deal with Boston in the offseason. They selected his contract in June, his first time cracking a major league roster. He has received 48 big league plate appearances so far, hitting just .150/.234/.350 in that small sample. He has always hit well in the minors and that’s still true this year. He has a line of .291/.381/.475 in 71 Triple-A games, drawing walks at a strong 12% clip and limiting his strikeouts to a 17.2% clip.

Defensively, he has played the three non-shortstop infield positions as well as right field this year. Since the trade deadline has passed, the Sox will have no choice but to put him on waivers in the coming days. If any team puts in a claim, Westbrook still has a full slate of options and just a few days of service time.

Red Sox Announce Two-Game Suspension For Jarren Duran

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The Red Sox announced that they have suspended outfielder Jarren Duran for two games. During yesterday’s game, the outfielder was caught on microphone using a homophobic slur in response to a heckler (X link with video, including audio of the slur, from Awful Announcing).

“In consultation with Major League Baseball, the Red Sox today issued an unpaid two-game suspension to outfielder Jarren Duran beginning with tonight’s game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park,” the club statement says. “Additionally, Duran’s salary from the two-game suspension will be donated to PFLAG (Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the United States’ largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and those who love them.”

The two-game suspension is the same length as one received by outfielder Kevin Pillar in 2017, then with the Blue Jays, for using the same slur. Duran spoke with members of the media, including Alex Speier of The Boston Globe (X link), apologizing for the incident. He said the suspension is less important than the hurt he caused. “It’s on me. It’s my fault. … it’s a dumb mistake on my part and I’m going to learn from it.”

The Red Sox will be able to add a replacement to their roster and play with a full 26-man squad, per Christopher Smith of MassLive on X. It’s not immediately clear who will be replacing Duran on the roster.

James Paxton Leaves Start Due To Calf Strain

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James Paxton suffered a right calf strain in the first inning of his start today against the Astros, forcing the veteran left-hander from the mound.  Paxton’s fifth pitch of the game got Yordan Alvarez to ground to first baseman Dominic Smith, but Paxton came up limping when leaving the mound to cover first base.

Speaking to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo (links to X) and other media after the game, Paxton said he heard a popping sound in his leg.  Paxton was using crutches to move around in the clubhouse, and he’ll get an MRI tomorrow to access the damage.

A trip to the 15-day injured list seems inevitable, and it is up in the air whether or not Paxton will even be able to pitch again in 2024.  Even if the MRI reveals the relatively good news of “just” a lower-grade strain, such injuries can tend to linger.  It is also possible the Red Sox could shut Paxton down for the season if the team falls out of the postseason race — today’s 10-2 loss dropped the Sox three games back of a wild card berth, and extended Boston’s losing streak to four games.

The calf strain is another disheartening turn in a career that has been marked by injuries, as Paxton was on pace to avoid the Major League injured list for the first time since 2013.  He hasn’t dealt with calf issues in the past, though he missed time last year with a pair of right leg injuries, in the form of a hamstring strain and knee inflammation.

Paxton was with the Red Sox during that 2023 season, before signing a one-year, $7MM deal with the Dodgers last winter.  Since Paxton stayed healthy and has made 21 starts (and thrown 100 1/3 innings) in total this season, he earned an extra $6MM in contract incentives, which the Dodgers already covered before he was dealt back to Boston in late July.  The trade was seen as a bit of a surprise given how Los Angeles has been ravaged by rotation injuries this season, and Paxton had a respectable 4.43 ERA in his 89 1/3 innings as a Dodger.  His Statcast numbers, however, were much less impressive, and today’s injury also underlines whatever concerns the Dodgers might’ve had about Paxton remaining healthy.

From Boston’s perspective, the Paxton trade brought a familiar face and some rotation depth back to Fenway Park, but it looks like the Red Sox might have to again scramble to add arms.  Quinn Priester was acquired from the Pirates in another pre-deadline trade and could be called up from Triple-A, or Brad Keller could be stretched out to work in piggyback situation, or as a bulk pitcher behind an opener.  Cooper Criswell will miss at least the rest of the next week due to a placement on the COVID-related injury list, while Nick Pivetta is expected to make his next turn in the rotation after his last start was skipped to provide extra rest.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Casas, Story, Schmidt

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Orioles general manager Mike Elias spoke to reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports) ahead of today’s game against the Rays, offering updates on several injured players. First and foremost, he expressed optimism regarding starter Grayson Rodriguez, who landed on the 15-day IL last week. Elias described Rodriguez’s right lat/teres injury as “pretty mild” – much less serious than the similar injury he suffered in 2022 – and said the team is hoping to have him back in the rotation by late September. The young right-hander has a 3.86 ERA across 20 starts this season, and Elias made it clear that the Orioles are still hopeful he will play an “enormous” role for the team come October.

Discussing his club’s minor league rotation depth while Rodriguez is out, Elias named Cade Povich, Cole Irvin, and, interestingly, Brandon Young of Triple-A Norfolk. Povich, 24, is a top prospect and has a spot on the 40-man roster, while Irvin, 30, has six seasons of MLB experience. Young, 25, doesn’t have Povich’s prospect pedigree or Irvin’s big league resume, but he is enjoying a strong season; he has a 3.82 ERA and 2.92 FIP across 20 games between Double-A and Triple-A. Barring another injury, the Orioles rotation is set with Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, and Albert Suarez. Still, Young is a name worth keeping an eye on.

Elias also provided some good news about several Orioles relievers. Jacob Webb hit the IL last week with inflammation in his right elbow, but tests revealed no structural damage. The club is hopeful his IL stint will be a short one, perhaps no longer than the minimum 15 days. Webb has pitched well for Baltimore since joining the club last August. In 71 2/3 innings, the 30-year-old has a 3.14 ERA and 3.98 SIERA as a middle relief option for manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles are also planning to have Danny Coulombe back in late September. Coulombe, who has a 2.68 ERA over the past two seasons, has been out since June, when he had surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow. Finally, Elias touched on Félix Bautista’s rehab, explaining that things are “going really well” for the star closer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He will not pitch for Baltimore this year, in the regular season or the playoffs, but he is set to throw off a proper mound next week as he prepares himself for a full and healthy 2025 campaign.

On the position player side of things, Elias noted that there is “still time” for Jordan Westburg to get back on the field before the end of the regular season. The All-Star infielder has been out since he fractured his right hand on July 31. He has 18 home runs, an .815 OPS, and 2.8 FanGraphs WAR over 101 games this year. Elias also expressed hope that Heston Kjerstad won’t be out for “too much longer” as he continues to recover from a concussion. The GM acknowledged that it’s “pretty mild” as far as concussions go, but the team is still taking his symptoms “really seriously” and will not bring him back until they make sure he is “totally out of the woods.” The Orioles had previously optioned Kjerstad back to Triple-A, but placing him back on the injured list reverses the option.

In additional injury news from around the AL East…

  • Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas is reportedly “close to returning” from his rib cage injury, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. He is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, and Cotillo suggests Casas could be back in the majors as soon as Thursday. Boston will need to activate him once he maxes out his minor league rehab time on August 18, but it appears the slugger could be back in the lineup a few days sooner. Casas hit six home runs over his first 22 games this season before suffering his injury, and his big lefty bat will undoubtedly be a huge boost to the Red Sox’s lineup.
  • Meanwhile, Trevor Story is about to take what manager Alex Cora describes as a “huge step” toward returning this season, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The shortstop, who has been out since April after undergoing shoulder surgery, will take batting practice on Monday. His surgery seemed to be season-ending back in April, but Cora now believes the two-time All-Star will be back with the Red Sox before the end of the year. Story himself suggested that his return has gone from “a maybe” to “a reality.” He is already ready to return defensively, and he is making excellent progress swinging the bat. He says his swings have felt “really good” with “no hesitation or hold back.”
  • Finally, Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt told reporters (including Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post) that it is “very realistic” to expect he will return to the club before the end of August. The right-hander has been out since May with a right lat strain. Over his first 11 starts, Schmidt pitched to a sparkling 2.52 ERA and 3.64 SIERA. Meanwhile, since his last appearance, Yankees starters rank second-last in the AL with a 5.22 ERA. Their problems go far beyond Schmidt’s injury, but it will surely help to have him back in the fold. It’s not clear how manager Aaron Boone will arrange his rotation once Schmidt returns, but Boone was reportedly “thrilled” with Schmidt’s performance in a live batting practice session earlier today (per Joel Sherman of the New York Post). There will be a job for Schmidt when he’s ready, even if he has to push a more established arm – like Marcus Stroman or Nestor Cortes – out of the rotation.

Twins Showing Interest In Rich Hill

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The Twins have been in contact with veteran left-hander Rich Hill, who hosted a showcase for big league scouts earlier today, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The Red Sox were also in attendance for Hill’s showcase, WEEI’s Rob Bradford tweets, though it’s not clear whether they’ve spoken to Hill about a potential reunion. The Yankees and Dodgers were previously connected to Hill and thus presumably also in attendance this morning.

Minnesota’s interest comes at a time when Joe Ryan was just diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder that puts the remainder of his season in jeopardy. Ryan joined righty Chris Paddack on the 15-day IL earlier today, leaving Minnesota with an inexperienced group of options — Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, Louie Varland — behind veterans Pablo Lopez and Bailey Ober in the starting rotation.

Hill, 44, has said since last year that his plan for the 2024 season was to pitch — but only in the season’s second half. The southpaw signed a one-year deal with the Pirates in the 2022-23 offseason and pitched well early before beginning to show signs of fatigue. He still managed to eat up 146 1/3 innings between Pittsburgh and San Diego (who acquired him at last year’s trade deadline), but it was generally a tale of two seasons for Hill. The lefty notched a respectable 4.34 ERA and matching FIP through his first 15 starts, punching out 21.1% of his opponents against an 8.6% walk rate. In his final 63 1/3 innings, he was torched for a 6.82 ERA with a 17.7% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate and 1.71 HR/9.

Waiting until later in the season affords MLB’s elder statesmen some perks beyond potentially keeping him fresh. Most importantly, Hill has spoken on record before about the additional time he was able to spend with his family, coaching his son’s team (link via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). Signing in August also ensures that he’s able to land with a club that has a good shot at making the postseason.

Minnesota would fit that bill. The Twins have been in second place in the AL Central and holding onto an AL Wild Card spot for most of the season. At 63-50, the Twins are 3.5 games behind Cleveland in the division, but they’re also hosting the Guardians for a four-game set this weekend that would shake up the top of the division if Minnesota can manage a sweep. (They’re currently leading the Guards in Game 1 of today’s doubleheader.)

Hill is no stranger to the Twins organization, having pitched there during the shortened 2020 season. Injuries limited him to eight starts, but he posted a 3.03 ERA in 38 2/3 innings as a Twin and reached the postseason that year. Bradford spoke to a scout who was at Hill’s showcase this morning, noting that the lefty threw more than 100 pitches and looked “impressive” (X link). Hill himself tells Bradford that he believes he’s built up to the point where he’s ready to go throw five or six innings in a start right now (video link).

Hill isn’t the only reinforcement the Twins are pondering, though second alternative is nearly half Hill’s age. Top prospect Zebby Matthews has skyrocketed up prospect rankings this season on the back of a dominant showing in High-A and Double-A. He was recently bumped up to Triple-A St. Paul, and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey confirmed to the Twins beat that Matthews is under consideration for a promotion to the majors.

“I think Zebby’s definitely in the conversation,” Falvey said this afternoon (X link via KSTP’s Darren Wolfson). “Obviously, he’s pitched exceptionally well for the whole year all the way through levels he’s been at. He’s now at Triple-A and knocking on the door. With the injuries we have, he’s certainly in the conversation. As we think about the needs for next week, he’s certainly a name that we’re talking about.”

Matthews, the Twins’ eighth-round pick in 2022, already looks like a nice find for the organization. The right-hander posted sub-2.00 ERAs in both High-A and Double-A before his recent promotion to Triple-A. He’s had two solid starts and two rough starts at the top minor league level. Collectively, he’s posted a 2.60 ERA with an impressive 30.5% strikeout rate and a staggering 1.8% walk rate. Matthews has fanned a hefty 114 opponents and issued just seven walks all season.

Matthews has ridden that breakout season all the way to the No. 61 spot on Baseball America’s recent update to their top 100 prospects, where they note that Matthews has perhaps the best command in minor league baseball. The Athletic’s Keith Law ranks Matthews 60th in the sport, and MLB.com has him as their No. 100 prospect.

Falvey also added that the aforementioned Paddack is still expected back this season. He’s “tracking really well,” per the Twins’ baseball ops leader (X link via The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman) and could begin a throwing program in the near future. Paddack has had a Jekyll-and-Hyde season, at times looking dominant and others looking fatigued in his first full season back from the second Tommy John procedure of his career. He’s twice punched out 10 hitters in a game and allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his 17 starts. However, he’s also had starts where he’s been rocked for seven runs and nine runs, leading to a 4.99 ERA on the season.

Paddack’s 88 1/3 innings this season are already more than his combined total from 2022-23 while he underwent and rehabbed from that Tommy John procedure. Nevertheless, the Twins plan to use him as a starter when he’s ready to return, per Falvey. There’s no clear timetable for that yet, but if he can begin a throwing progression soon, a return sometime next month seems feasible. Paddack last pitched on July 14 and has been out since with a forearm strain.

Red Sox Activate, Option Vaughn Grissom

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The Red Sox activated Vaughn Grissom from the 10-day injured list today and optioned the infielder to Triple-A, a move that The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey reported the team was considering last week.  Grissom hasn’t played in the majors since June 1 due to a right hamstring strain, adding to his troubled first season in Boston.  Between this injury and a left hamstring strain in Spring Training, Grissom has been limited to 23 Major League games, and a dismal .148/.207/.160 slash line in 87 plate appearances.

Red Sox Place Tyler O’Neill On 10-Day IL, Activate Chris Martin

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The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves this evening, headlined by the club placing outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list due to a left leg infection. The move is retroactive to August 4. Replacing O’Neill on the active roster is infielder Enmanuel Valdez, who has been recalled to the big league roster, and the Red Sox also activated right-hander Chris Martin from the 15-day IL. Lefty Cam Booser was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Martin.

O’Neill, 29, was acquired from the Cardinals over the offseason and has enjoyed an excellent campaign during his first season in Boston. In 342 trips to the plate this season, the 29-year-old has slashed an excellent .268/.357/.544 (142 wRC+) with 16 doubles and 22 homers. While he’s striking out at a hefty 31.9% clip, he’s paired those strong power numbers with a solid 11.1% walk rate that has given him a more well-rounded profile than he flashed in his career-best 2021 campaign when he crushed 34 homers and posted a 143 wRC+ but walked at a clip of just 7.1%.

The slugger’s performance this year seems likely to line the pending free agent up for hefty raise in free agency this winter, although one red flag for O’Neill has been his frequent trips to the shelf. After suffering hamstring, back, foot, and shoulder injuries during his final two seasons with St. Louis, he’s now made three trips to the shelf with the Red Sox this year: once for a concussion in April, once due to knee inflammation in May, and now today’s most recent ailment that manager Alex Cora described to reporters (including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe) as a worsening infection on his left leg that has caused swelling.

The silver lining in O’Neill’s repeated trips to the IL this year is that they’ve all been fairly short-lived, and Cora indicated that this one should be more of the same as he’s likely to be activated once eligible to return next week. In the meantime, the Red Sox figure to turn to some combination of Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Rob Refsnyder in the outfield. With Rafaela frequenting the outfield in recent days, Valdez should help to shore up the club’s middle infield mix alongside David Hamilton, Nick Sogard, and Romy Gonzalez. The 25-year-old enjoyed a strong rookie season in 2023 but has taken a step back this year with a .226/.282/.402 slash line in 182 trips to the plate at the big league level.

As for Martin, the right-hander’s return to action is welcome news for a beleaguered Red Sox bullpen that has been second-worst in the majors since the start of July, ahead of only the White Sox. The 38-year-old veteran sports a solid 3.42 ERA with a matching 3.40 FIP in 26 1/3 innings of work this year and is coming off an even better season in 2023 where he dominated to the tune of an eye-popping 1.05 ERA in 55 appearances. Adding Martin to the late-inning mix to be the primary set-up man for closer Kenley Jansen should further shore up a bullpen that got reinforcements in the form of Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia prior to the trade deadline. He’ll take the roster spot of Booser, who heads to Triple-A to become the club’s top depth option with an excellent 2.77 ERA and 2.99 FIP in 39 innings of work this year.

While the bullpen will hopefully be revitalized by the return of Martin, Cora suggested to reporters today (including Abraham) that the Red Sox intend to skip right-hander Nick Pivetta’s next start. While the veteran righty doesn’t appear to be injured, Cora indicated that he’s “not responding well” coming out of his last start and that the club had some concerns about a dip in his velocity. With a day off scheduled tomorrow, the Red Sox will be able to utilize the rest of their rotation on regular rest without needing to call up another arm to take the spot on Pivetta. The righty has a middling 4.44 ERA through 18 starts this year thanks primarily due to a trio of brutal outings his last three times out that have seen him surrender 13 runs (12 earned) in 14 innings of work while serving up six home runs.

Lucas Luetge Opts Out Of Minors Deal With Red Sox

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Veteran left-hander Lucas Luetge has opted out of his minor league deal with the Red Sox and become a free agent, according to Katie Morrison-O’Day of MassLive. The lefty first signed with the Red Sox back in February but will now return to free agency in search of a better deal elsewhere.

Luetge, 37, is a veteran of seven MLB seasons who first made his big league debut back in 2012 as a member of the Mariners. He spent his time with Seattle shuttling between the major and minor leagues, during which time he posted a middling 4.35 ERA with a 4.27 FIP in 89 big league innings with a similar 4.21 ERA across 94 appearances in the minors. While Luetge enjoyed a strong 47.7% groundball rate in the majors during his years in Seattle, a lackluster 19% strikeout rate combined with an elevated 12.1% walk rate seemingly limited his potential, leaving him to be outrighted off the Mariners’ 40-man roster in late 2015.

He elected free agency shortly thereafter but would not return to the majors until 2021, when he joined the Yankees as a member of their bullpen. The lefty enjoyed the best seasons of his career by far when in the Bronx as he posted a sterling 2.71 ERA with a 2.92 FIP in 129 2/3 innings of work for the club across the 2021 and ’22 seasons. His strikeout rate ticked up to a strong 25% while he slashed his walk rate to just 5.8%. While those improvements came at the expense of his groundball rate (39% with the Yankees), the results more than justified his change in approach and made it somewhat surprising when the club designated him for assignment during the 2022-23 offseason.

He was traded to the Braves shortly thereafter and opened the 2023 campaign in their bullpen, though he didn’t last long in Atlanta after allowing eleven runs in 9 2/3 innings of work across his first nine appearances as a Brave. He was outrighted to the minor leagues but remained with the club and returned to the big leagues with them to throw four scoreless innings across three appearances down the stretch, but that improvement and his middling work with the club’s Triple-A affiliate (3.75 ERA in 24 frames) weren’t enough to convince the Braves to retain Luetge for the 2024 campaign.

Back in free agency for the first time since signing with the Yankees, Luetge signed on with the Red Sox. He never broke into the big leagues with the club, though he’s looked quite impressive in 41 2/3 innings of work for Triple-A Worcester with a 3.02 ERA and a solid 26.7% strikeout rate. Given the constant interest around the league in left-handed relief depth, it would hardly be a surprise if a club saw Luetge’s success in the minor leagues with Boston and his previous success with the Yankees and decided to bring him into the organization, whether as a non-roster depth option on a minor league deal or perhaps even as an immediate member of the big league bullpen.

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