Inside The Red Sox

Red Sox DFA Hard-Throwing Reliever; Add Crafty Pitcher From AL East Rival

Boston swapped right-handed relievers to prepare for 2023

Scott Neville

Red Sox DFA Hard-Throwing Reliever; Add Crafty Pitcher From AL East Rival
Red Sox DFA Hard-Throwing Reliever; Add Crafty Pitcher From AL East Rival /
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The Boston Red Sox are starting to get active in the waiver wire market as they prepare for a roster overhaul this offseason.

Boston designated right-hander Eduard Bazardo for assignment Thursday while claiming former Baltimore Orioles right-hander Jake Reed in a corresponding move. 

Bazardo was a September call-up and posted a 2.76 ERA, 11-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .203 batting average against in 16 1/3 innings this season. 

At 27 years old, it's clear that Boston is not high on the right-hander, for reasons unknown. Bazardo's slider had a .154 opponent batting average with a 38.5% whiff rate and 44.5% usage rate. His 94 mph fastball has been hit hard but the sinker and changeup have been quite effective. It'll remain to be seen whether Bazardo passes through waivers and back into the Red Sox farm system. 

In return, the Red Sox claimed Reed, who posted a 7.02 ERA, 5-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .258 BAA in 16 2/3 innings. He was not nearly as successful as Bazardo in almost identical sample sizes but a features a solid pitch mix and unique arm angle. 

The 30-year-old's fastball only averages 90.9 mph, but was unhittable in limited use. Opponents did not register a hit on his 21 fastballs thrown. He also features a promising sinker/slider mix.

When the Tampa Bay Rays began their bullpen dominance, they did so by finding a bunch of relievers with frustrating arm angles. That appears to be the plan here with Reed.

The addition of Reed could net positive results, but it would be a shame if Bazardo was claimed after a strong finish to the 2022 season.

More MLB: Yankees Place Ex-Red Sox On Postseason Roster To Aid World Series Pursuit

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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