Report: Red Sox keeping tabs on Kelvin Herrera
The Red Sox are keeping an eye on a valuable rental.
The Boston Red Sox (42-19) aren’t in a rush to make a drastic change to their ball club. While there are certain players on the rise and some who are still searching for consistency, the Red Sox are unlikely to make any blockbuster deals.
However, one name that makes a lot of sense for Boston is Kansas City Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera. The righty reliever is earning $7.94 million this season and is set to hit free agency. The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported the Red Sox are keeping tabs on the Royals reliever.
Herrera, 28, hasn’t walked a single batter and has only allowed two runs in 22 2/3 innings. To give Red Sox fans an idea of how impressive that is, Craig Kimbrel has allowed six walks while Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes and Heath Hembree have all allowed 12 each.
Herrera would add late-inning depth to the bullpen. The righty has struck out 19 while earning 13 saves on the season. With closing experience, pressure isn’t a problem for Herrera. In the previous four seasons, Herrera has posted ERA’s of 4.25, 2.75, 2.71 and 1.41. Aside from one mediocre season, Herrera has consistently proven to be one of the game’s premier relievers.
The Red Sox aren’t in dire need of just any bullpen piece. Barnes’ ERA has dropped to 2.10 in 25 2/3 innings. Kelly just struggled in Houston, but still owns a .296 ERA in 27 1/3 innings as the setup man. Hembree’s 4.44 ERA in mostly low leverage situations is rather unimpressive.
Tyler Thornburg returning as a key addition remains a possibility, but can the Red Sox really trust a reliever who hasn’t pitched in a year and a half to suddenly be another eighth inning guy?
The risk seems far too great to stand pat with the current pen. If the Red Sox have learned anything this season, it’s that a team can’t have enough relievers against teams like the Yankees and Astros.
With the best record in baseball, the Red Sox must be smart at the deadline. President Dave Dombrowski can’t mortgage the farm for a rental, but also can’t stand pat while others make deals. The Astros have had their share of bullpen woes, and the Yankees are practically guaranteed to make a move with the ammunition in their farm. After all, they’re the Yankees. They’d make a deal even if they didn’t have a plethora of prospects to deal away.
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The Red Sox stand as the eighth ranked bullpen overall.