Red Sox sign pitcher Denny Bautista

The Red Sox on Saturday, according to the proverbial multiple reports, signed 32 year old journeyman right hander Denny Bautista to a minor league deal. Inked by the then-Florida Marlins out of the Dominican Republic in 2000, Bautista has seen major league time with seven teams pitching (2004-2010) in 131 games (21 starts) posting a 5.88 ERA (4.69 FIP). His last major league time was with the World Champion San Francisco Giants in 2010, posting a 3.74 ERA (4.68 FIP) in 33.2 innings, walking 27 batters while striking out 44. He did not pitch in that postseason. He pitched in the AAA for Seattle in 2011 as well as in Korea (starting 24 games in 2013) for three seasons and in Mexico last season.

Walks are a big issue with Bautista, issuing 5.3 free passes per nine innings in his major league career, 4.4 in the minors. He has struck out 7.3 batters per nine innings over his major league career. According to multiple articles, Bautista is a cousin of Pedro Martinez, now a minor league instructor with the Red Sox, and Hall of Fame inductee in July. Bautista also hails from the same Dominican province (Samana) as Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez, though from different towns.

It is likely that Bautista is simply minor league depth since he has been gone for so long from the majors. It is unlikely that the Red Sox would want to give him a coveted 40 man roster spot. He may be an option as a long man if he pitches well in the minors, however, given the Red Sox starters’ struggles to go deep into games.