Braves Pitcher From 2021 Championship Roster Signs With Red Sox

In this story:
Left-handed starter Sean Newcomb is going home -- not to his first MLB home, but his childhood home -- to continue his baseball career.
MassLive's Chris Cotillo reported Friday morning that the Boston Red Sox signed Newcomb to a minor-league deal for the 2025 season. Newcomb was born and raised in Massachusetts and played college baseball at the University of Hartford.
Red Sox announce a new batch of non-roster invitees. They’ve signed Sean Newcomb to a minor league deal.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 17, 2025
Newcomb pitched for the Atlanta Braves from 2017-22. Although he didn't appear in the 2021 postseason, he made 32 relief appearances for the Braves during the 2021 regular season.
Newcomb registered a 4.73 ERA and 1.701 WHIP with a 12 strikeouts per nine innings average in 32.1 innings during 2021. The Braves won the World Series at the conclusion of that season.
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Newcomb in the first round of the 2014 MLB amateur draft. But he never pitched for the Angels. Los Angeles shipped him to the Braves in a five-player trade after the 2015 season.
Newcomb made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2017. He started 30 games for the team during 2018, which was the first season of Atlanta's current seven-year postseason streak. Newcomb went 12-9 with a 3.90 ERA, 1.329 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 164 innings in 2018.
The Braves transitioned Newcomb to the bullpen starting in 2019. He made four more starts for Atlanta in 2020 but posted an 11.20 ERA.
Newcomb remained on the Atlanta roster going into 2022. But the Braves designed him for assignment and then traded him to the Chicago Cubs in April.
The past two seasons, Newcomb pitched for the Oakland Athletics. In 2024, he registered a 6.30 ERA and 1.700 WHIP with seven strikeouts in 10 innings of relief.
Newcomb will now get a shot with the Red Sox. As a Brockton, MA native, he should have plenty of local supporters.

Dave Holcomb writer covering the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves and Fantasy Sports for On SI. Holcomb has lived in the Atlanta area since 2017. He began his sports journalism career with The Star Ledger in northern New Jersey in 2013. During his career, he has written for numerous online and print publications. Holcomb has also self-published four books, including a novel in 2021. In addition to On SI, Holcomb also currently writes for Heavy.com and Athlon Sports.
Follow @dmholcomb