Red Sox Should Take Lottery Ticket on Mets Hurler After DFA

When you start a season as poorly as the Boston Red Sox have, you should be considering all options.

Boston has the worst record in Major League Baseball right now at 4-9. That's worse than teams like the Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Athletics, and the Washington Nationals, among every other team in the league.

There are few things that are working well for Boston right now. Wilyer Abreu is the biggest bright spot for the club right now, among many negatives. The club's pitching, which is expected to be a massive strength, hasn't even fully gotten going yet. The Red Sox boasted one of the best bullpens in baseball last year, for example, but right now have the 17th-ranked bullpen ERA in the game right now at 3.81.

The Red Sox Should Place A Waiver Claim

Mar 29, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Richard Lovelady (55) reacts during the tenth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Red Sox also have lost a key piece already with Johan Oviedo heading to the Injured List. Because of that and the struggles in general, the Red Sox shouldn't close the door on any option. One hurler the club should consider is veteran lefty Richard Lovelady, who was designated for assignment by the New York Mets on Saturday.

Now that Lovelady has been designated for assignment, every team around the league has a shot to claim him if they see fit. Lovelady has been better than you'd think for a guy getting designated for assignment. He has pitched in six games so far this season and has a 3.68 ERA across 7 1/3 innings of work. That should be enough to warrant a look, at least.

For Boston specifically, he fits the mold the club has a high-extension guy. Right now, he's in the 98th percentile in extension in baseball this season. With Craig Breslow leading the way for Boston and Andrew Bailey as the team's pitching coach, they have put a specific focus on bringing in guys who fit this mold. Oviedo is one big example.

At this point, the Red Sox should be considering every talented player who could help the club out. Lovelady is a seven-year big league veteran who hasn't been bad this season, by any means, but is available. All it would take to bring him to town would be placing a waiver claim. That's certainly not difficult to do.

Boston has bullpen talent, but you can never have too many veteran arms, especially when the club is struggling overall. Why not take a chance on the former Met?