Red Sox: Five potential closer options to target in free agency
By Sean Penney
Red Sox free agent target – Joakim Soria
He wasn’t utilized as the primary closing option during his two-year stint with the Oakland A’s but Joakim Soria has 223 career saves on his resume.
Soria was last used as a closer with the Chicago White Sox in 2018 until they traded him mid-season to the Milwaukee Brewers where he served as a setup man. He didn’t pitch poorly in Milwaukee but Soria was a bit of a disappointment based on the reputation that enticed the Brewers to acquire him. Soria carried that mediocrity with him to Oakland last year when he posted a career-high 4.30 ERA.
The right-hander bounced back with a strong 2020 season, posting a 2.82 ERA and 9.7 K/9. The strikeout rate was down slightly from recent years but it’s nearly identical to his career rate.
Soria only allowed one home run this year and he’s always been stingy with the long ball, owning a solid 0.8 HR/9 rate. His 3.1% HR/FB ranked 10th among major league relievers.
If there’s one glaring red flag with Soria, it’s his postseason track record. He owns a 10.13 ERA in 14 career postseason appearances. He allowed three earned runs in four innings of work split between this year’s Wild Card and ALDS. If the Red Sox plan to contend next year, they will need someone they can count on for the postseason stage.
The 36-year-old should be an affordable option looking for a short-term deal. He doesn’t have the greatest upside on this list but a shorter commitment allows Boston to remain flexible in case any of their internal options emerge as a viable closing candidate. If that happens, or if they find another path to an upgrade, they can cut bait fairly easily. Moving Soria to a setup role in that scenario is more feasible than it would be for someone they locked in to be a part of their future.