Red Sox bullpen has three spots up for grabs for Opening Day roster
By Sean Penney
Now we’re down to five pitchers for three spots.
One of those spots should go to Walden. He’s been the team’s best reliever this spring, posting a 1.42 ERA and piling up 13 strikeouts with only four walks over 12 2/3 innings. If the remaining bullpen roles are truly up for grabs, it’s hard to argue that Walden hasn’t grabbed the bull by the horns.
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The opposite can be said about Thornburg. He’s having an absolutely brutal spring, owning a 10.50 ERA while allowing a pair of homers and a staggering six walks in only six innings. This isn’t the same pitcher who once served as the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers.
However, Thornburg has a history of starting slowly in spring training so these results can be taken with a grain of salt. The Red Sox seem to believe in his upside. His $1.7 million salary becomes guaranteed if they don’t cut him by Monday yet they still have him scheduled to pitch next week. That’s a strong signal that they intend to take Thornburg with them to Seattle.