Red Sox Could Add Former All-Star Reliever With 2.45 ERA, But There's A Catch

Would Craig Breslow and Co. take the plunge?

May 19, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Taylor Rogers (33) throws a pitch against the Colorado Rockies during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox already tried to fix the bullpen once this season. And wow, did that ever backfire.

First-year Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow traded five total prospects on July 31 for relievers Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia. The two combined to allow more than an earned run per inning pitched in their first month in Boston, before both hit the injured list on the same day, this Tuesday.

But for all the struggles the bullpen has had, the Red Sox are still in the race. They enter play Thursday just three games back of the Minnesota Twins for the final American League playoff spot, with 29 contests still to play.

If Breslow is feeling bold about his team's chances to make a late charge, any opportunity to bolster that ailing bullpen once more should be a top priority. That opportunity may have presented itself Wednesday night.

As first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the San Francisco Giants placed three players on waivers on Wednesday night, including left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers. Rogers is now eligible to be claimed while remaining on San Francisco's active roster.

Rogers, 33, has had a fantastic season in San Francisco. Pitching in the same bullpen as his twin brother Tyler, the eldest Rogers brother (by 30 seconds) has posted a 2.45 ERA in 51 1/3 innings pitched. The 2021 American League All-Star has a 160 ERA+, his best since 2019.

For the rest of this season, Rogers is owed just over $1.9 million, which shouldn't be too hard for a team in Boston's situation to stomach. But the real kicker is that he has a fully guaranteed $12 million salary for 2025, so the Red Sox would either have to retain that money or trade Rogers this winter.

It may be hard for some to stomach that money alone could be the cause for the Red Sox not adding a helpful bullpen piece in Rogers as they try to mount a late-season rally. But this team has been cautious about adding payroll of late, so it would be surprising to see them reverse course now.

If the Red Sox are thinking of acting, chances are the discussions are happening in the offices at Fenway Park as you're reading this. Rogers, or any late-season addition, would have to be on a team's roster by Saturday to play for that team in the postseason.

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