With just a few weeks until pitchers and catchers report, the Boston Red Sox's pitching staff looks markedly different than it did at this time last year.
While the rotation has seen upgrades with the additions of Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler, the bullpen has also had some additions and will likely have a few new names in the mix, including a new bullpen coach in Chris Holt to work alongside pitching coach Andrew Bailey. Holt joined the Red Sox following five seasons in Baltimore as their director of pitching and pitching coach.
In an attempt to reshape the bullpen, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow signed Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson to major-league deals earlier in the winter. Liam Hendriks is also set to make his Red Sox debut after spending last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Garrett Whitlock, meanwhile, will transition back to the bullpen after starting last year in the rotation and then spending the rest of the season rehabbing from an internal brace procedure.
With Crochet and Buehler in the rotation, the Red Sox have considered a six-man rotation along with Lucas Giolito, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford. That, however, means one less arm in the bullpen as MLB rules only allow a maximum of 13 pitchers on a 26-man roster. Six starters means seven relievers.
The Red Sox also recently traded Chase Shugart, a reliever who debuted last year and pitched some key innings in the second half, to Pittsburgh for pitching prospect Matt McShane. Shugart's spot on the 40-man roster was taken by Blake Sabol, a bat-first catcher who came from the Giants in a trade for international bonus pool money. He doesn't have strong defensive numbers, having converted from the outfield three years ago, but will compete with catcher Carlos Narvaez and non-roster invitee Seby Zavala to be Connor Wong's backup catcher. The Red Sox also traded another pitcher who'd logged key innings last year, Cam Booser, to the White Sox for pitching prospect Yhoiker Fajardo. Another familiar name in last year's bullpen, Bailey Horn, was designated for assignment earlier this offseason. Last year's closer, Kenley Jansen, remains a free agent.
All of those moving parts mean a new bullpen mix for 2025.
Chapman, Hendriks, Wilson and Whitlock figure to have four of those bullpen spots already locked up, with Justin Slaten almost certainly in line for a fifth spot. Hendriks, Chapman and Slaten all appear to be competing for the closer's role. That leaves just two more reliever spots up for grabs. All of this is relative, of course, as injuries may crop up when camp begins, some returning injured pitchers may not be ready for the start of the season or the Red Sox may opt not to use the six-man rotation. It's also possible the Red Sox make another bullpen addition before camp opens, though top target Tanner Scott signed with the Dodgers last week and the remaining options are dwindling.
Regardless, it's worth taking a look at which pitchers are currently in the mix for the bullpen given that the rotation is mostly set at this point.
The 40-man roster is much deeper this year than in the past. So far, the club has signed nine pitchers as non-roster invitees who could compete for a big-league spot. In doing so, however, they would need to bump someone else off the 40-man roster. Let's sort through the rest of the bullpen candidates to see who might join Chapman, Hendriks, Wilson, Whitlock and Slaten this season.
All of the pitchers in this category have experience pitching for the Red Sox and should be the main competitors for the final bullpen spots this spring.
Brennan Bernardino, LHP: Bernardino had an inconsistent year in 2024 after a breakout 2023. With two lefties -- Chapman and Wilson -- already in the mix for late-game innings, Bernardino may have a harder time winning a spot out of camp. He does have one option remaining.
Cooper Criswell, RHP: Criswell served as an important depth starter last season and held a difficult role swinging between starter and reliever. With a deeper club, he may end up in Triple A, but his experience matters.
Greg Weissert, RHP: Weissert struggled at times last year, but finished the season strong, not allowing an earned run in his final 17 appearances after some midseason adjustments in Triple-A Worcester. He figures to be competing for a bullpen spot.
Josh Winckowski, RHP: Winckowski, too, struggled with consistency at times last season after a strong 2023 and spent some time in Triple A. While he's contributed big innings in the past for the club, like Bernardino, he's not a lock by any means for a bullpen spot given he has an option remaining.
Zack Kelly, RHP: Another pitcher on this list who has lacked consistency. Despite having velocity that the Red Sox covet, Kelly's control has hurt him in the past. He struggled so much at the end of last season that he was sent to Triple A. He has options and will need to have a strong camp to earn a big-league spot.
Luis Guerrero, RHP: Guerrero impressed when he was called up to the majors at the end of last season. He earned high praise from manager Alex Cora and has a high-velocity fastball. He seems to be a leading candidate to earn a spot in the bullpen if all goes well in camp.
Zach Penrod, LHP: Another lefty in the mix, Penrod will have to compete with Bernardino for a spot. Penrod did have a solid big-league debut at the end of last season, making seven appearances in September, but it appears more likely he will be in the Worcester bullpen.
The pitchers in this category are being developed as starters and will likely begin the year in the Worcester rotation, but could be a factor for the Red Sox as long relievers or spot starters if the need arises.
Richard Fitts, RHP: Fitts impressed in September with five solid starts. He proved capable of pitching in the majors and while it's likely he begins the year in the Triple-A rotation, he figures to be one of the first starters the Red Sox turn to when they need a spot start.
Quinn Priester, RHP: Priester arrived in Boston via a trade last summer from Pittsburgh in exchange for infielder Nick Yorke. Priester had pitched briefly in the majors for the Pirates with poor results, but the Red Sox sent him to Worcester after the trade and retooled some of his arsenal. He made his Red Sox debut on the final day of the season and pitched five innings, allowing one run in a strong start.
Hunter Dobbins, RHP: Dobbins was added to the 40-man this winter after the Red Sox protected him from the Rule 5 draft. He was named Boston's Minor League Pitcher of the Year last year after posting a 3.17 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 105 innings over 21 starts.
The pitchers in this category are expected to start the season on the injured list but could impact the team at some point in 2025.
Luis Perales, RHP: Perales began 2024 strong in High-A Greenville before a promotion to the Double-A rotation. Shortly thereafter, however, he tore a ligament in his elbow in June and subsequently had Tommy John surgery. He's expected to miss most of the 2025 season.
Patrick Sandoval, LHP: Sandoval had an internal brace procedure last summer after a rough start to the season with the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels designated him for assignment after the season and Sandoval signed a two-year deal with Boston in December. He's expected to be ready to pitch in the majors in the second half.
Chris Murphy, LHP: Murphy spent all of last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he had in April and likely will not be ready for the start of the season.
All of these pitchers signed minor-league deals with the Red Sox.
Michael Fulmer, RHP: Fulmer is the most interesting of this group because he signed a two-year minor-league deal last winter and spent the entire year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Breslow spoke highly of him at the Winter Meetings, despite the club not protecting him from the Rule 5 draft (he was eligible under rare circumstances). It's possible Fulmer isn't ready to start the year, but he's still a name to watch this spring as a potential non-roster candidate to make the roster.
Isaiah Campbell, RHP: The Red Sox traded second baseman Luis Urías to Seattle for Campbell before the 2024 season and while Campbell pitched for the Red Sox early last year, injuries derailed his season and he spent much of the year in Worcester. He was designated for assignment in the fall but signed on a minor-league deal earlier this winter.
Bryan Mata, RHP: The long-time Red Sox prospect was also designated for assignment by the Red Sox in the fall, but later re-signed on a minor-league deal with an invite to big-league camp. Mata has struggled mightily with injuries over the past several years but is looking for a fresh start in the system.
Wyatt Mills, RHP: Mills was acquired by the Red Sox ahead of the 2023 season, but was injured in spring training that year and later had Tommy John surgery, missing all of 2023 and 2024.
Sean Newcomb, LHP: A Massachusetts native and first-round pick in 2014, Newcomb pitched well early in his career for the Braves, posting a 3.16 ERA in 55 appearances, four starts, in 2019. More recently, though, he's struggled, spending much of last year on the IL with the Athletics, making seven relief appearances and allowing seven runs in 10 innings. He's hoping to get back on track in the Red Sox system.
Robert Stock, RHP: Stock pitched for the Red Sox in 2020, but more recently has been pitching outside of affiliated baseball, first in Korea in 2022, then for the Long Island Ducks in 2023, before excelling in Mexico last season, posting a 3.38 ERA in 19 starts, recording a team-high 104 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings. He also pitched in Mexico this winter, posting a 1.60 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 84 innings over 14 starts.
Noah Davis, RHP: Davis spent much of 2024 with Colorado's Triple-A affiliate, posting a 5.77 ERA in 19 games, including eight starts. He made nine relief appearances in the majors for the Rockies, posing a 5.75 ERA.