Red Sox Free Agency: 3 intriguing options to solidify the bullpen for 2022

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 17: Aaron Loup #32 of the New York Mets pitches during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on September 17, 2021 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Red Sox Option #2: Aaron Loup

Over the course of his career, Aaron Loup has been a journeyman LHP who has always intrigued me as a potential fit in the Red Sox bullpen. And at 33 years old, in his 10th season, he really seemed to finally put it all together, posting a 0.95 ERA in 56.2 innings for the New York Mets.

While Loup clearly specializes in facing left-handed hitters, he is competent against right-handed batters. Certainly, over the course of his career RH batters have hit for a higher average than left-handers (.258 vs. 224) and get on base more (.327 vs. .291) but in neither case is the number disparity so severe that it cannot work with the new MLB minimum batter rule.

Indeed, Loup substantially elevated his game against RH hitters in 2021, over the course of which they only batted .211. Certainly, a team signing Loup runs the risk of overpaying him based on the season he is coming off of.

The thing is even if he reverted to his 2020 form with the Rays, a season in which he was one of the AL’s most dominant left-handed relievers, Loup would serve as a valuable weapon out of the Red Sox bullpen. Considering Boston’s need for lefty relief options, Loup is a perfect candidate.

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