Boston Red Sox: Who from the bullpen should stay in 2016?

Aug 23, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher

Alexi Ogando

(41) is relieved by Boston Red Sox interim manager

Torey Lovullo

(17) in the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

If you clicked this article and expected to see the solitary word “nobody” written, then that wouldn’t surprise me. That the much vilified 2015 Boston Red Sox bullpen may actually have some redeeming qualities that could carry over into what is hoped will be a return to contention in 2016 is a wonder. In my opinion there are still a few decent options available that give Boston something on which to build.

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Even still, it’s hard to imagine after we witnessed a season in which turning to the bullpen was akin to opening a trap door in a canoe. In terms of statistics, the Red Sox relievers combined for a headache-inducing ERA of 4.42, the fourth worst in the American League. When you consider that this is kept afloat somewhat by Koji Uehara‘s 2.23 ERA, you may begin to imagine just how bad it really was. In most cases, the relievers provided no relief for the pitchers they replaced, requiring yet more inept relief for themselves. An endless spiraling chain of hemorrhaged runs and blown saves that makes one most inclined to suggest a start from scratch would be the more appropriate response.

Easier said than done. For Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, the challenge is difficult enough. While many may focus, perhaps understandably, on Dombrowski’s search for a staff ace this winter, it will likely be his rebuild of the bullpen that will have the most impact on Boston’s fortunes going forward. To do that he has to cut the dross.

Soon-to-be free agent Craig Breslow was a revolution in 2013, posting an impeccable ERA if 1.81 in 61 outings and stamping his authority as one of the best set-up men in the majors. Today, following a disastrous 2014 and 2015, he has stamped his authority only as the official Red Sox white flag. Too risky to throw out in high leverage situations any more, Breslow comes in as the fans go out following an all too common implosion from the starting pitching. From set-up to mop-up, a dramatic reversal of his and Boston’s fortunes that will doubtless see him walk this offseason.

So too, Alexi Ogando started his tenure with the Red Sox promisingly (his last 11 games/innings in June he didn’t give up a run and had a 1.84 ERA on the month). His fastball that averaged 95.4 MPH was electric and seemingly just what Boston needed. Then it fell apart, as the rest of the year was mixed with sporadic and ugly implosions most frequently involving the long ball. Keeping Ogando on each out was like playing yet another round of Russian Roulette with dingers being the bullets. The former AL All-Star finished the year with a 3.99 ERA, which was brutal but only really tells half the story. The Red Sox may elect to keep him, but they can do an awful lot better here.

Uehara and Junichi Tazawa are both likely to return in 2016, given their strong performances alongside confirmations by Dombrowski.

Expect none of these names to appear on the list, obviously. Instead I want to examine the few more unlikely candidates that can be salvaged and look ahead to what 2016 may look like from the view of the Fenway bullpen.

Next: Robby Ross Jr

Aug 7, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher

Robbie Ross

Jr. (28) pitches in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Robbie Ross Jr

OK so in an ideal world, every reliever in the Red Sox bullpen would consist of clones of Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel. In real world 2016 AL East, there’s room for someone like Robbie Ross.

Yes, he did struggle at first, but his struggles never, even at their worst, showed themselves to be as profound as those experienced in the rest of the bullpen. For better or worse, the Red Sox found themselves unable to function without an at least semi-reliable pitcher who could come in and close the door in the 9th inning. After failed attempts to find this in Tazawa and Jean Machi, the ball was handed to Ross and he did, well, not so bad. After being made the closer for the rest of the season, Ross took all 6 saves from the 6 opportunities handed to him. Certainly several of them gave reason for increased alcohol intake from Red Sox Nation, such as the two runs he leaked in the 9th inning to the Toronto Blue Jays on September 20. That said, he never failed to get the last out when it was needed. Compared to the failures of Tazawa and Machi, that was significant and welcomed.

With Uehara returning to full health and Dombrowski already determined to find a back-up closer, it’s unlikely we’ll see Ross return to the role in 2016. That said, he has the stuff and the projection to be able to be a competent, if unspectacular, middle reliever too. His fastball sits at 94 MPH and he complements it with a cutter and slider. Both his fastball and his peripherals all could be described as serviceable, if nothing else. Actually, serviceable is a word that could be used to describe Ross in general. Keeping opponents to an AVG of .250 isn’t amazing but is probably good enough situationally. His K/9 rate of 7.86 is similarly middle of the road, but since June, Ross did manage to strikeout 38 batters in 40 innings, which is more than acceptable.

Perhaps Ross’ best arguments for inclusion in 2016 are that he is only 26, pitches for the league minimum and is under team control until 2018. From reports in the clubhouse he seems to be popular and has connected in particular with some of the Red Sox up-and-coming stars to be. It seems that ultimately more is to be gained by keeping him and using him than finding even equal value in the trade market.

Certainly Ross isn’t going to always be the kind of dominating, lights out force in the bullpen that Dombrowski is looking for. That said, he is good enough to be a solid, middle reliever that Boston lacks almost as much as an ace.

Next: Heath Hembree

May 25, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher

Heath Hembree

(37) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Marilyn Indahl-USA TODAY Sports

Heath Hembree

If Ross is a typical, middle of the road, somewhat anonymous and totally average reliever, Heath Hembree is basically invisible. I’ve spoken to Boston fans who haven’t even heard of him, something which would be a negative for most bullpen pitchers in the majors, but for the 2015 Red Sox that’s probably as glowing one could be with praise.

Hembree though is only 26 and has an advantage that seems to fly under the radar, if not under the opponent’s bat, his fastball. He throws heat that levels out at 95 MPH but can flash 96 and in Boston the only other reliever capable of reaching such heights is Tazawa.

Fast throwing fire-arms are the norm now in baseball. It’s not unusual to see a bullpen stacked with pitchers ready and waiting to pound the strike zone with 98 MPH as hapless hitters swing their trail. Arguably the Red Sox failed to recognize the shift away from technical hurlers in the pen and suffered for it, with the likes of Breslow, Noe Ramirez and Machi all throwing soft. To have someone capable of providing a little heat late on in a game when the opponent’s bats are likely tired and frustrated enough is at least a step in the right direction towards this. It doesn’t hurt that Dombrowski is well known to be a fan of electric arm pitchers over the alternative either.

That said, Hembree isn’t exactly the shining example of this, hence his failure to build brand recognition in Boston this year. His fastball may be fast, but it also has a lot of ball, as Hembree walked 9 opponents in only 25.1 innings. In that time, a somewhat dismal K/9 of 5.33 and career low percentage of ground balls at 27.2% doesn’t inspire much confidence. This is however, probably unsustainable and is expected to improve due to his yet young age.

Perhaps more debilitating for Hembree is that he is essentially a two-pitch pitcher having only his fastball and slider, neither of which generate a lot of swings and misses. His changeup is used sparingly enough to be moot, but it did see an increase in usage with the Red Sox and can provide an unexpected out or two.

All that sounds pretty negative, but Hembree has a fairly solid reputation of being a fairly solid middle reliever. His ERA on the year of 3.55 is unsightly for a bullpen piece, but in 11 games in September he gave up only 7 hits and 2 runs for an ERA of 1.74. During this month he held opponents to an AVG of a mere .189 and was improving his strikeout rate too, sending 6 in 10 innings to the dugout by way of the K. That’s fairly solid, wouldn’t you say?

Had his year started as good as it ended then perhaps more would have heard of Hembree, but it didn’t, so they haven’t. Even so, he remains one of the more usable pieces in the bullpen for Boston and the value he could provide for bargain basement salary certainly make him difficult for Dombrowski to pass up.

Next: Tommy Layne