There will be no homecoming of sorts for Derek Lowe and the Boston Red Sox this season as the Evil Empire have gone and dipped into the heroes of the Red Sox past by signing Lowe this afternoon.
The move to bring Lowe to the Bronx was eminent given that CC Sabathia was placed on the DL with elbow stiffness. Signing the grizzly veteran will add some depth to the Yankees and will also provide some flexibility. According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Lowe will pitch out of the bullpen upon his arrival despite being a starter in Cleveland this year.
On the season Lowe is 8-10 with a 5.52 ERA, which includes an 8.80 ERA in his last twelve starts. Lowe started the year strong before falling off and struggling, eventually leading to his release with the Indians.
This is the third player the Yankees have claimed this season that have ties to the Red Sox. Previously Darnell McDonald and reliever Hideki Okajima were both nabbed by the Yankees before both being released.
In Lowes case, this is a little more sensitive for Red Sox fans given his gritty performances over his seven full seasons in Boston. A fan favorite who pitched so well in the 2004 postseason made it clear he would love an opportunity to return to the Red Sox, getting many fans’ hopes up including mine.
With Josh Beckett all but incompetent and now Felix Doubront needing some rest given his above normal work load this season, signing Lowe appeared to make sense, both financially and logically. Sure his numbers aren’t good but this Sox club is sending Beckett to the mound every fifth day so can it really get much worse?
The Yankees will pay the pro-rated portion of the league minimum so he’s a steal of a deal when you consider the cost. And we all know how much we’ve heard about the Sox owners wanting to get under the luxury tax threshold.
Because Boston is below New York in the standings, the Red Sox could have claimed Lowe before the Yankees. But that didn’t happen and we now have to wonder “what if” Ben Chetington had made the Lowe/Boston reunion possible and how that would’ve played out.
Instead, a hero from days gone by is now a Yankee. Say it isn’t so!