What can the Red Sox expect from their bullpen?

By Maureen Mullen

Trying to put together a solid, reliable bullpen from one season to another, for any team, remains one of the most challenging tasks. Success for a reliever in one season doesn’t always translate into success the next season. Very often it can mean quite the opposite.

Left-hander Craig Breslow is Example A. In 2013, he had one of the best seasons of his career, going 5-2 with a career-best 1.81 ERA and was one of the Sox three most reliable relievers, helping them to the World Series. But, the workload and extended season took its toll. He started 2014 on the disabled list with a shoulder strain and never fully recovered.

But the Sox believe he will rebound, re-signing him to a one-year, $2 million deal. After officially announcing the signing earlier this month general manager Ben Cherington said he was still working on bullpen additions. Until Tuesday, left-hander Dana Eveland had been the only addition, signed to a minor league contract on Jan. 21.

“We like the guys we have,” Cherington said the next day. “We wouldn’t mind adding to the group. We think we have a good start. We have young arms that are capable of stepping up and being good solutions. If we can add to the group, give us some more options between now and spring training, that’s something we wouldn’t mind doing.”

The Sox did that on Tuesday, acquiring left-hander Robbie Ross from the Rangers, in exchange for right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, and on Thursday signed lefty Felipe Paulino to a minor league deal.

At this point the Red Sox bullpen will be comprised from a group that includes closer Koji Uehara, right-handers Junichi Tazawa, Edward Mujica, Brandon Workman, Anthony Varvaro, and lefties Ross, Breslow, Drake Britton and Tommy Layne. Or perhaps Matt Barnes, Mitchell Boggs, Edwin Escobar, Eveland, Heath Hembree, Paulino, Zeke Spruill or Steven Wright will be in the pen. Or perhaps the Sox will continue to add to their bullpen candidates.

If not, what can the Red Sox expect from their bullpen?

“I give them a B-,” said one major league scout.

“Koji is Koji and should have it in him one more year but he’s not getting younger. Tazawa has the stuff to make up for some mistakes, solid eighth inning mostly. Mujica has experience to be a back-end guy, but has dropped off drastically. Experience should make him solid but not as a go-to guy.

“I think their middle relief is fair with Workman at his best there. Breslow is what he is. I think they have a satisfactory pen because of Koji at the end. If they lose him, it will be a long season in the pen. I don't think Tazawa could stomach the closing role. They will have to get a guy or two to strengthen the seventh and eighth innings.

“They will need it with those starters, who are six- or seven-inning guys.”

• Uehara, who will turn 40 on April 3, will be the key to the pen. Manager John Farrell said last week Uehara is the team’s closer, fully expecting him to be very good again. But Uehara went through a difficult stretch at the end of last season. In a six-game stretch from mid-August to early September he gave up 10 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings with four home runs. His second-half ERA of 4.35 was almost three runs above his first-half mark of 1.65, while his OPS allowed of .813 was well above his .527 in the first half. But he finished the season with three consecutive scoreless appearances, and the Sox obviously believe his problems are behind him, agreeing to a two-year, $18 million contract.

• Tazawa also went through a rough stretch when he gave up six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings over six games from July 25 – Aug. 5. But he gave up just one run in eight appearances spanning seven innings in September. Overall, he matched his career high with 71 appearances, spanning 63 innings, posting a 2.86 ERA.

• In his first season with the Sox, Mujica had a rough first half. In 33 appearances, spanning 30 2/3 innings, he posted a 4.99 ERA, .895 OPS, and .358 BABIP. Those numbers improved in the second half, when he made 31 appearances spanning 29 1/3 innings, to 2.76, .641, and .305, respectively. He took over the closer’s role in September, earning five saves in eight appearances, spanning 7 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs for a 2.35 ERA. But, for the season, he arguably found the most success in the eighth inning, posting a 1.93 ERA in 21 appearances spanning 18 2/3 innings.

• Breslow is attempting to rebound from a down season, arguably the worst of his career. He posted a 5.96 ERA in 60 games. In 54 1/3 innings, he gave up 73 hits, including eight home runs – one shy of his career high in 2010, when he threw 20 1/3 more innings. Opponents hit .319 against him, including .291 by left-handed hitters with an .838 OPS. In 26 appearances, spanning 21 1/3 innings in the second half, he posted an ERA of 7.17.

• Layne pitched extremely well and opened a lot of eyes, going 2-1 with a 0.95 ERA in 30 appearances, spanning 19 innings. But all but one of those appearances were in August and September. By that point, the Sox were securely buried in the cellar of the AL East and any appearances were much less intense than they would be in a pennant race.

• Varvaro, 30, was 3-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 61 appearances, spanning 54 2/3 innings for the Braves in 2014. In parts of five major league seasons with the Mariners and Braves, he has made 157 appearances posting a record of 7-8 with one save and an ERA of 3.18.

• Workman was solid for the Sox in 2013 down the stretch and in the postseason. In seven playoff appearances on the way to the World Series he allowed just one unearned run. But he fell off last season, going 1-10 with a 5.17 ERA in 19 games (15 starts) with a .1425 WHIP, 1.94 strikeouts-to-walks ratio and 7.2 strikeouts-per-nine innings ration. In four relief appearances, he was 0-1 (2.84) with a 0.947 WHIP, 7.00 K/BB and 9.9 K/9. Many evaluators believe his stuff will work better out of the pen.

• Ross made 27 appearances, including 12 starts -- the only starts in his three big league seasons – last year for the Rangers, going 3-6 with a 6.20 ERA over 78 1/3 innings. In his 15 relief appearances, spanning 18 1/3 innings, he posted a record of 2-0 with a 7.85 ERA, 1.964 WHIP, and .935 opponents’ OPS. He also made 12 appearances (nine starts) at Triple A last season. In four minor league seasons, 77 of his 81 appearances have been starts. He could be considered for long relief or rotation depth, if needed.

Right-hander Burke Badenhop, who was effective and reliable in his 70 appearances last season for the Sox, remains a free agent. Perhaps the Sox will go after another free agent, such as Alexi Ogando, who is attempting to come back from shoulder and elbow injuries, Rafael Soriano, Francisco Rodriguez. Would they attempt a trade for Jonathan Papelbon? Maybe Justin Masterson will be moved into the pen if the Sox acquire an ace.

Maybe Cherington still has some moves remaining. If not, the Sox already have the relievers who will make up their pen.

Maureen Mullen can be reached at mmullen@itemlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MaureenAMullen.

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