Red Sox: Five candidates that could be Boston’s next closer

The Red Sox need a set closer to contend in the second half

It’s been quite a while since the Red Sox actually had a set closer. Craig Kimbrel held the mantle for a few years until his departure in 2019. Matt Barnes had finally earned the position last season until he ran out of gas in the second half and hasn’t been the same since.

There were a few options Boston could’ve gone with out of spring training but as we inch closer to the All-Star break, nobody has claimed the title. While the Sox are currently flirting with a Wild Card spot, just a half-game back of the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays as I write this, they could be in a far better spot.

Boston has 13 blown saves and it’s hard to not wonder what could’ve been had they held at least a few of those. Just converting three of those opportunities would shoot them to second place in the division and would put a much different feeling on the first half of this season.

Now don’t get me wrong, the Red Sox pitching staff outside of those gaffes has been incredible. The starting rotation has far exceeded anything we could’ve predicted and the bullpen does have a select few arms that I fully trust when called upon.

The issue for me, and it’s one I’ve pointed out in seasons past, is the lack of defined roles. The best teams in the league all know who will be pitching and when and it allows their staff to get into a routine that allows them to perform their best.

With that all said, these are the five arms I think the Red Sox should look at to be their closer for the second half of the season.

Red Sox Closing Option #1: John Schreiber

If you had told me that John Schreiber would be one of the best arms the Red Sox have in their bullpen a few months ago, I would’ve called in a wellness check. A righty that never amounted to much of anything in Detroit is now one of the most trusted arms Alex Cora can call upon on any given night.

Schrieber has been an absolute menace for the Red Sox and a guy that I fully believe could be our closer for the second half. Cora has been using him in some of the tightest situations the team has been in and time after time he has proven worthy of the honors.

Schreibzilla has tossed 19 2/3 innings this season and owns a deadly 0.92 ERA. Now, he does have a 2.58 FIP so he may have some luck on his side but his 0.712 WHIP is closer level stuff. He’s not letting guys get on base and if he has to come into a situation where there are already some ducks on the pond, they’re not getting any further on the paths.

Of the group I’ll be displaying here I think Schreiber will get the most head scratches but it’s hard to deny what he’s done in 2022. Not only is he not giving up hits, he’s only allowed 9 on the season, but he’s making batters whiff at an impressive clip. After last night, his SO/W sits at a 4.2, I’ll gladly take that mix every day and twice on Sunday.

Opposing batters currently sit at a .130/.200/.203, yeah, I like that from a guy whose job it is to slam the door shut.

Red Sox Closing Option #2: Matt Strahm

Matt Strahm is similar to Schrieber in that I never would’ve expected him to be as good as he has been. Cora also goes to Strahm in plenty of high-risk situations and the man with the flowing locks has been pretty damn good when necessary. Boston’s bullpen wasn’t heralded by any means coming into the 2022 season but Strahm has already replaced a lot of familiar faces in the hierarchy of relievers.

So what has he done this season? Strahm has a 3.72 ERA through 19.1 innings of work but his 1.89 FIP would lead you to believe that he’s had some bad luck along the way. his 1.138 WHIP is a little higher than I would like from a closer but just like Schreiber, he owns a 4.2 SO/W mix which more than balances things out for me.

Strahm has been given his chances to close out games for the Sox this season and does have a trio of converted saves under his belt. Granted, he has blown a pair of saves as well but his six holds also balance that out. Life is all about balance, my friends, and Strahmy knows how to walk that tightrope.

He’s shown enough in high leverage situations that I wouldn’t be upset if Cora announced this afternoon that they’d be leaning on the lefty as their closer for the time being. Obviously, we know that sentiment can change in a hurry if the results aren’t there but the groundwork has been laid enough for me that I’d hop on that ride.

Red Sox Closing Option #3: Tanner Houck

Tanner Houck was a stud starting prospect who more than earned his keep with the Red Sox. His debut in 2020 was one of the very few bright spots for the team that season. Last season saw him earning about a million travel miles as he was constantly shipped back and forth between Boston and Worcester.

Those days are long gone though as he finally earned a spot in the starting rotation out of camp this spring and is here to stay. Houck’s vaccination status knocked him from his spot in the order though and relegated him to the bullpen.

At first, he seemed lost in his new job but as he grows and adapts more to being a reliever, he’s become damn near deadly on the mound. His confidence has grown in leaps and bounds since the positional switch and now we have a guy that is coming out of the pen ready to send ’em down one after another.

He’s been used more and more in big-time situations the last few weeks and it’s been a recipe that has worked for the Sox. His reliability has gotten to a point that I’ve already called for him to be our next closer and now I’m sending up that signal again. The righty has a 3.56 ERA, which isn’t the prettiest number, but we have to remember he has those four starts under his belt and a lot of that damage came in those outings.

I would love for him to really gain a third pitch that can keep batters off their rhythm as his current slider/fastball mix does make it a bit easy to guess what’s coming. The thing is, his slider and heater are so damn good that even though you know you have close to a 50% shot you’re not hitting it. I’ve enjoyed seeing him in this new role with the team and I think if given the full stamp of confidence and approval he can run with it and succeed.

Red Sox Closing Option #5: Chris Sale

Another guy that is currently on the sidelines is Chris Sale. The Boogeyman has been out for the entirety of the 2022 season after breaking a rib during preseason workouts. Some of you may scoff at this idea considering his resume and contract, but with his injury history and age, this makes perfect sense. Why push him back to the rotation just to be a glorified opener or to only toss four to five innings?

Sale has spent the majority of the last few years recovering from injuries. Whether it be his shoulder, elbow, ribs, and the long recovery from Tommy John, it’s been a long time since he’s been healthy.

We saw him make his triumphant return last season and he gave the Red Sox a boost in the rotation but he was missing something. He just didn’t have the stamina we’ve gotten accustomed to seeing and it’s understandable coming back from TJS.

So, what do the Red Sox do with Sale upon his latest injury recovery? I pitched this idea prior to his return from TJS last season and I’ll once again stand on that mountain. BSI’s Sean Penney has also sounded the horn on making Sale our next closer and it just makes too much sense. Like Whitlock, I’d much rather get an inning or maybe two of Sale’s absolute best stuff rather than trying to stretch him out for a mediocre start.

The Condor recently spoke to the media and made it very clear that he doesn’t care what the Red Sox asks him to do when he’s cleared he just wants to contribute. Just imagine it’s the ninth inning, the Sox have the lead, and this maniac starts strutting out of the bullpen. I don’t know about you, but I surely don’t want to see Sale in that situation, just ask Manny Machado how that ends.