Ex-Red Sox Flamethrower Joins American League East Foe
The Boston Red Sox are expected to face a member of the 2022 roster multiple times this season.
The veteran hurler reportedly will be joining an American League East opponent and will likely seek revenge against the team who traded him last summer.
"Left-hander Jake Diekman and the Tampa Bay Rays are finalizing a major league deal, ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted Tuesday. "Diekman, 36, was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox and would replace Garrett Cleavinger -- who hurt his right ACL on Sunday -- in the Rays’ bullpen. Should be done in (the) next 48 hours."
Diekman spent part of the 2022 season with Red Sox before being dealt to the White Sox in exchange for catcher Reese McGuire and right-handed reliever prospect Taylor Broadway. Given Diekman's recent release, that trade appears to be a massive win for Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.
Diekman has a 7.94 ERA with an 11-to-13 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .244 batting average against in 11 1/3 innings this season.
While those numbers are horrendous, the fear is that the Rays will use their advanced analytics (and possibly some form of magic) to make adjustments and turn him into a dangerous high-leverage reliever.
Until then, we can look forward to seeing those matchups between Diekman and the Red Sox lineup -- which admittedly, is missing almost all of his teammates last season.
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