Red Sox's Worst Pitcher Of Last Two Seasons Just Became A Free Agent

Hard to imagine a reunion, but never say never?

Aug 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell (48) delivers during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox had a lot of pitchers come and go this season -- 34, to be exact, not counting position player Abraham Toro.

Among those 34, there were plenty of pitchers who struggled and found themselves out of playing time. But only one of those strugglers was playing out the same cycle for a second year in a row.

That hurler was Isaiah Campbell, who came to the Red Sox in a trade with the Seattle Mariners that was somehow disastrous for both sides, as the M's wound up with infielder Luis Urias. After back-to-back brutal seasons, Campbell found himself booted off the 40-man roster shortly Boston got eliminated from the postseason.

Campbell elects free agency after dismal year

Aug 8, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell (48) delivers during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

On Thursday, Campbell officially elected free agency, according to the transactions log on his official roster page.

After he put up a 16.20 ERA in eight appearances last year, Red Sox fans were understandably wary when Campbell rejoined the major league team this summer. But he somehow became even more frustrating, because he was an expert at turning low-leverage situations into dire emergencies.

The most obvious case came on Aug. 16, which may very well be Campbell's final game as a Red Sox. He entered in the top of the ninth against the Miami Marlins with a 7-2 lead, but allowed three earned runs and brought the tying run to the plate, forcing the Red Sox to burn closer Aroldis Chapman for the second day in a row.

What happened the next day? Well, Chapman was unavailable because he'd pitched two days in a row, and Greg Weissert and Steven Matz combined to turn a one-run ninth-inning lead into a 5-3 loss that spoiled a sweep.

All told, Campbell had an ERA of 11.30 in 14 major league outings in Boston. He'll turn 29 next season, and if he makes it back to the big leagues, chances are that it will be for another organization.

We can't rule out a return for Campbell, because nearly the exact same process played out last winter, as the righty elected free agency on Nov. 22, only to re-sign on a minor-league deal with Boston the very next day. He had a minor-league option this year, though, which gave the Red Sox flexibility to send him up and down from Worcester to Boston that they wouldn't have this time around.

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