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Red Sox Reliever Elects Free Agency After Inconsistent Stint In Boston

The Red Sox lost another piece of pitching depth this offseason

The latest member of the Boston Red Sox has elected free agency after being outrighted off of the 40-man roster

"The Red Sox today outrighted right-handed pitcher Tyler Danish off the major league roster," The Red Sox tweeted Monday. "He has elected to become a free agent. The club's 40-man roster is now at 39."

Danish started strong for Boston, joining the club as a replacement for an unvaccinated player in the Red Sox's first trip to Toronto in April, and ended up carving out a role for himself. 

In his first 19 games, the 28-year-old went 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA, a near-perfect 21-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and a .205 batting average against across 24 innings of work. 

That said, his 3.74 FIP in that span, combined with a disappointing end of the season and a lack of career pedigree made Danish expendable for Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and company. 

Danish finished his season with a 3-1 record, 5.13 ERA, 32-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and a .255 batting average against in 40 1/3 innings across 32 appearances. 

The Red Sox need a complete retooling of the bullpen, which already is underway. Boston, somewhat surprisingly, outrighted right-hander Eduard Bazardo, who, like Danish, elected free agency over staying in the Red Sox organization outside of the 40-man roster. 

The Red Sox grabbed right-hander Jake Reed in place of Bazardo from the Baltimore Orioles. 

Danish's spot might be left open, as the Red Sox need to clear out room on the 40-man roster in order to protect prospects from the upcoming Rule-5 Draft.

Whether they leave the spot open or not, the recent moves indicate a willingness to rebuild the depth of the bullpen, which is a great sign for 2023 and beyond.

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