Red Sox Loosely Linked To Marquee Hurler Coming Off Three-Year Stint With Yankees

Boston could use the southpaw

Scott Neville | Dec 15, 2023

Red Sox Loosely Linked To Marquee Hurler Coming Off Three-Year Stint With Yankees /

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The Boston Red Sox are in desperate need of a retooled pitching staff this offseason.

While the focus remains on the rotation, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has made some solid moves to bolster the bullpen.

The depth of the pitching staff is in a much better position after some nifty trades but there is one addition that could go a long way -- a high-leverage southpaw.

Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin will resume their roles as a power tandem in the back of the bullpen but could use a left-hander to join the ranks.

Brennan Bernardino is the only true left-handed reliever on the roster, who was a diamond in the rough last season. Someone with a little more pedigree would be a perfect addition alongside the breakout star from a year ago.

There is one option that perfectly fits the description. Former New York Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta would be a fantastic addition to the Red Sox's bullpen, as noted but MassLive's Sean McAdam on Friday.

Peralta posted a 2.83 ERA with a 51-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .190 batting average against and a 1.22 WHIP in 54 innings last season.

The 32-year-old free agent is one of the best left-handed relievers in Major League Baseball after posting a 2.82 ERA across three seasons with the Yankees.

Breslow already has added some intriguing young depth options with potential to develop into impact arms. Throwing a proven stud into the mix would further solidify the Red Sox's bullpen as one of the best in the American League.

More MLB: Astros Ace Available; Red Sox Are Logical Trade Partners For Two-Time All-Star

Published Dec 15, 2023

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