The Boston Red Sox tried for years to make it work with Ryan Brasier. The Los Angeles Dodgers tried for half-season, and they figured him out.
Now, after his career resurgence in LA, the Dodgers have re-signed the hurler, per MLB insider and New York Post columnist Jon Heyman. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal revealed the terms of his contract and Brasier will be paid nicely in Los Angeles — he's signed for two years at $9 million with the possibility to earn $13 million thanks to incentives.
Brasier spent five-plus seasons in Boston and he was rarely the reliever that the Red Sox needed him to be. One of the last men standing from the 2018 World Series winning team logged a 4.55 ERA with the Red Sox over his tenure, but thankfully his best campaign was the championship-winning year. Brasier pitched 33.2 innings and clocked a 1.60 ERA with 29 strikeouts and seven walks in 2018.
His production slowed each year he was with the team, with 2023 being his worst slate, by far. Brasier raced out to a 7.29 ERA in his 21 innings with the Red Sox last season. He let up 24 hits and 17 earned runs with just 18 strikeouts.
Here's how Ryan Brasier became a star after joining the Dodger bullpen last year pic.twitter.com/gjslQcJNM3
— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) February 5, 2024
The Dodgers have signed former Red Sox reliever Ryan Braiser
Boston finally gave up on Brasier and DFA'd him in June 2023. Then, the Dodgers picked him up and did what they do best — they transformed him into a quality hurler, somehow.
Brasier began his tenure with the Dodgers in the minor leagues. After two scoreless appearances with Triple-A Oklahoma City, the reliever found himself on the Dodgers' roster a transformed player. Brasier logged a 0.70 ERA in 38.2 innings with the Dodgers, a career low. He allowed just six runs and 10 walks while recording 38 strikeouts.
It's frustrating that the Red Sox could never make it work with Brasier. Both he and starter Lance Lynn saw dramatic improvements in their stuff as soon as they hit the Dodgers' roster.
Whatever LA is doing, the Red Sox should figure it out. Whether it's coaching, training, or just plain magic, there are a fair few pitchers on the team's staff that could use whatever is in the Dodgers' pitching formula.