Veteran Red Sox Reliever Elects Free Agency, Ending Time In Boston

It just never worked out for the lefty in a Sox uniform...

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox have tried for years to find a consistent lefty specialist, and they haven't had much luck in doing so.

Even going back to the 2018 World Series team, the Boston bullpen has been dominated by righties. One has to look all the way back to the days of Andrew Miller and Hideki Okajima to find the last true shutdown lefties the Red Sox deployed.

Finding consistent bullpen pieces is a game of chance, and the Red Sox took a chance on a veteran lefty heading into the 2023 season. But after a wildly inconsistent year-and-a-half in Boston, that lefty is officially saying goodbye to the Red Sox organization.

Joely Rodríguez, who the Red Sox signed to one-year deals in both 2023 and 2024, elected free agency on Thursday after Boston had previously designated him for assignment. Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster first reported the news via X.

Rodríguez, 32, is guaranteed $2 million this season from the Red Sox, and is now free to sign for the veteran minimum.

It simply never worked out for Rodríguez in Boston, as injuries derailed his 2023 season and ineffectiveness kept his time in the big leagues brief in 2024. In 25 total appearances in a Red Sox uniform, Rodríguez posted a 6.20 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP.

Rodríguez had a memorable blown save in the opening series of the season against the Seattle Mariners in extra innings and never truly recovered. He was DFA'd by the Red Sox later in April and accepted a minor-league assignment, spending most of the year in Triple-A Worcester.

At the very least, Rodríguez was able to keep other arms fresh during the sweep the Red Sox suffered over the weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks, throwing in all three games for a combined 2 1/3 innings.

Perhaps, in some parallel universe, Rodríguez never gets hurt to begin 2023 and ends up becoming the lefty savior the Red Sox have long sought. But unfortunately, if there is going to be a career resurgence for the lefty, it will have to happen elsewhere.

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