If The Red Sox Are Buyers, These Relievers Could Carry Them Into October

The Red Sox are entering the second half of the season looking like a legitimate playoff team. One thing that has hindered the team this season, though, is an overtaxed bullpen. Coming out of the All-Star break, the bullpen has thrown 358 innings, the 11th most in MLB. They have an ERA of 3.44, FIP of 3.50, and a WAR of 4.5. Though they may be overtaxed, the bullpen has been one of the better units in the game. That doesn’t mean that they can’t use some reinforcements, though, especially if the team is still considering trading closer Aroldis Chapman. Let’s take a look at some potential reliever options for the Red Sox. 

The White Whale

• Mason Miller, RHP
  • I’m getting this one out of the way first because it’s going to cost a ton to land someone like Miller, even if he’s having a down season. He currently sports a 4.04 ERA with 57 strikeouts and 19 saves over 35 2/3 innings. In play with Miller, there is still considerable belief around the league that he can be converted back into a starter. If the Red Sox were to trade Chapman, they’d have a massive hole at the back end of the bullpen to fill and Mason Miller could slot in perfectly. Then, if Andrew Bailey and company think he can be converted into a starter, it adds another potential elite arm into the rotation. It could be a pipe dream, and it likely is, but the A’s are primed to be big-time sellers, and there is no bigger prize available on that team than Mason Miller.

Big Splashes

• Ryan Helsley, RHP
  • Nick John has already written an excellent piece about how trading for Helsley could transform the bullpen, and he’s 100% correct. He’s currently sitting with a 3.27 ERA over 33 innings with 36 strikeouts and 19 saves. The biggest thing about Helsley is he’s a rental and won’t be cheap to add. If the Sox were to swing a trade for him, you’d likely see him work in tandem with Chapman depending on how the opposing lineup was set to stack up in the ninth. While he’s a rental, he’s far younger than Chapman and would be an excellent candidate to sign to an extension after acquiring him. That would allow the team to either trade Chapman while his value is incredibly high, or let him walk in the offseason while Helsley slides into the full-time closer role.
• Lucas Erceg, RHP
  • The Royals and Red Sox have been trade partners a few times in recent years, so Craig Breslow may want to give the Royals a call and see what it would take to acquire Erceg. Like Miller above, Erceg is young and would be expensive, but he would be well worth the cost. He currently sits at a 2.15 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and a 3.16 FIP over 37 2/3 innings pitched. He’s a slider-first reliever with a four-seam fastball that tops out at 98 MPH, and his four-pitch mix means he keeps hitters on their toes. He boasts a 21.2% strikeout rate, complemented by a 6.8% walk rate and 58.4% groundball rate. Now that Alex Bregman has returned to the lineup and Marcelo Mayer has shifted over to second base, the defense surrounding the pitcher has taken a significant step forward, so Erceg would feel comfortable each time he steps to the mound.
• Cade Smith, RHP
  • The Guardians are notoriously difficult to trade with, but that doesn’t mean that Breslow shouldn’t kick the tires on Smith. He’s the same age as Miller above, but without the All-Star pedigree or the saves to his name. He works best as a set-up man and would allow relievers already in the Sox’s bullpen to be moved around and play based on whatever the matchups dictate. He currently has a 3.07 ERA with a 2.06 FIP and 61 strikeouts over 41 innings pitched. Bringing in Smith would allow the Red Sox to ease Justin Slaten back into the pen as he returns to health, give Greg Weissert some lower-leverage innings along with some much-needed rest, and shift guys like Brennan Bernardino into lower-leverage roles as well. If the Guardians are willing to make Smith available, the Red Sox should be at the front of the line to acquire his services.
• Griffin Jax, RHP
  • Jax isn’t the pitcher from the Twins that most Red Sox fans have been salivating over since the All-Star break began, but adding him to the bullpen could be almost as beneficial. He’s sitting on a 3.92 ERA with 66 strikeouts and a 1.87 FIP over 66 innings pitched. Like Smith and Erceg above, he would slot in as an everyday set-up arm for the closer. He’s a sweeper-first pitcher with a power change-up and three fastball offerings. His strikeout percentage, 37.9%, is the second highest in MLB; while his ERA is approaching four on the season, his xERA is sitting at 2.98, indicating that he has been unlucky at times throughout the season, and his 2.04 FIP is tenth-best in baseball for relievers with 20 or more innings pitched. Having his sweeper and power change-up in the eighth inning, then seeing Chapman come out for the ninth would surely give opposing hitters pause for concern. Adding an arm like Jax would be a bit more cost-effective than the names above, and could produce similar value.

Not So Splashy but Effective

• Steven Matz, LHP
  • Matz has found his way into the bullpen for the Cardinals this season, and it has given him a place to shine. He’s holding a 3.35 ERA, with 45 strikeouts and a 2.93 WHIP over 51 innings. The caveat here is that the Red Sox already have three left-handed pitchers in their bullpen, and adding one seems unlikely. That being said, Matz is in the final year of his four-year, $44 million contract, so the Sox wouldn’t have to give up a ton to land him. His strikeout rate is sitting at 21.4% and his walk rate is at 4.3%. He’s been reliable out of the pen for the Red Birds. If a deal is made with St. Louis, you’d like it to be for Helsley above. However, if the team is looking to make more fringe-type additions, then an arm like Matz could be a smart play if the team believes carrying four left-handed relievers is a good idea.
• Emilio Pagan, RHP
  • Ever the journeyman, Pagan has shone this year. He’s sitting on an impressive 2.93 ERA with 50 strikeouts and a 3.91 FIP over 40 innings pitched. Thirty-four years old and in the final year of a two-year, $16 million contract, so he’d likely be even cheaper than Matz. The Reds are still flirting with the third Wild Card spot in the National League, but have the potential to slide before the deadline at the end of July. Pagan would offer veteran experience and can slot into multiple roles in the bullpen for the Red Sox. He’s far from the flashiest move here, but adding a reliever with Pagan’s stats this season could be a secondary type of move that would fully push the Red Sox into the postseason conversation.

These are just a few names, and one wish, that the Red Sox could look to bring in to help an overworked bullpen as the trade deadline draws near. A team with championship aspirations can never have too much help in the bullpen, just ask the Dodgers. Who do you think the Sox should bring in to help bolster the bullpen? Sound off in the comments below!