3 players the Red Sox could’ve DFA’ed instead of Jeter Downs and Eric Hosmer
3. Kaleb Ort
Like Garrett Whitlock, Kaleb Ort was a Red Sox Rule 5 draft addition from the New York Yankees farm system.
Unlike Whitlock, Ort hasn’t managed to carry his Triple-A success up to the majors. Over 26 relief appearances this season, he allowed 23 runs (20 earned) on 35 hits, including four home runs. In 28 1/3 innings, he struck out 27 batters but also issued 15 walks.
Of the three pitchers on this list, Ort deserves the most patience. The Sox clearly saw enough promise to take him in the draft, and he hasn’t even pitched 29 career innings yet; his 2021 debut consisted of exactly one (scoreless) appearance, in which he recorded exactly one out. The 2022 Red Sox season was an absolute disaster for young pitchers. With so many concurrent pitching injuries, Ort was one of several rookies put in tough spots. Still, despite the trial-by-fire-esque season, his fastball velocity put him in the 88th percentile, and he has above-average vertical and horizontal movement on his 4-seamer and slider.
Unfortunately for Ort, his age puts him in a different position than his fellow rookie pitchers. Brayan Bello is 23, Zack Kelly is 27, and Franklin German just turned 25; Ort will be 31 in February. It’s safe to assume he has less time to prove himself than some of the other new kids on the block.
