Red Sox Retain Hurler To Bolster Much-Needed Bullpen Depth

Boston can use every arm they can get with two openers in the rotation

Red Sox Retain Hurler To Bolster Much-Needed Bullpen Depth

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The Boston Red Sox are in a precarious position with their pitching staff and could use all the help they can get. The next few series will define their season with the trade deadline approaching.

Boston recently was able to retain a right-handed hurler who was designated for assignment after struggling mightily against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend (five earned runs with four hits, four walks and three strikeouts in two innings).

Red Sox pitcher Jake Faria has cleared waivers and will be heading back to Triple-A Worcester according to the Major League Baseball transaction log.

The 29-year-old has struggled all year, posting a 6.47 ERA with a 46-to-35 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .258 batting average against in 55 2/3 innings for the WooSox.

It's clear that Faria will not be the answer for the Red Sox's pitching woes, particularly with Kyle Barraclough and Dinelson Lamet appearing to be much more promising arms this season. However, it doesn't hurt to have a guy like Faria who can be called up to eat innings when his fellow relievers are completely taxed from their two bullpen games a week.

If the Red Sox get back on track and put themselves in a position to buy at the deadline, we should not see Faria ever again. But, there's a chance we need him just to get through the season so it's not a complete loss having him back.

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Published Jul 20, 2023

Scott Neville

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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