While the Boston Red Sox continue to crank out runs like their lives depended on it, their bullpen has been less than stellar for much of the season. (Their collective ERAÂ ranked 15th in MLB entering Friday’s play) Add injuries to the mix and it’s no surprise that on Friday night, Boston acquired current Arizona Diamondbacks’ closer Brad Ziegler for a pair of minor leaguers, pitcher Jose Almonte and infielder Luis Alejandro Basabe.
Ziegler will work as a set up man in the Red Sox bullpen, but could also see time at closer if Craig Kimbrel’s left knee injury turns out to be serious. Set up man Koji Uehara has 89 career saves and was the closer when the Sox won their last title in 2013, but has been ineffective this season.
UPDATE 2:20 pm: Kimbrel has been placed on the 15-day DL with a medial meniscus tear in his left knee. He’ll have surgery and will be out of action for 3-6 weeks. Manager John Farrell said that, for now, Ziegler and Uehara will share save opportunities.
UPDATE 10:40 pm: Boston manager John Farrell has apparently changed his mind. After he told the press earlier in the day that closer role would be split between Ziegler and Uehara, Farrell later said that Uehara would be the main closer and Ziegler would fill in when Uehara needs a day off.
Ziegler and his unorthodox sidewinder delivery rang up 30 saves last year and he has 18 more in 2016. In addition to his delivery, Ziegler is not your prototypical closer – he’s averaged 5.9K/9 IP in his career and has a 1.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season. Overall, Ziegler’s record with Arizona this season was 2-3, 2.82, with a 1.483 WHIP.  It’s presumed that Tyler Clippard will take over the Diamondbacks’ closer role.
Almonte is a 20-year old native of the Dominican Republic. He joined the Red Sox in 2013 and was pitching for the Greenville (SC) Drive of the South Atlantic League (Single-A). Â In 10 starts this season, Almone was 2-2, 3.91, with 45 strikeouts in 53 innings pitched. According to minorleagueball.com, Almonte throws a fastball in the low 90’s and is inconsistent with his breaking pitches. At 6’2″, 175 lbs, he also has plenty of room to put on weight and muscle.
Basabe, a teammate of Almonte’s at Greenville, was hitting .310/.412/.467 with four home runs, 14 doubles, four triples, 25 RBI, and 14 steals in 20 attempts. The 19-year old Venezuelan native has predominantly played second base, but has seen time at shortstop as well. Baseball America projects Basabe as a power-speed threat down the line, but he needs to working on his fielding (19 errors in 53 games this season). Basabe’s twin brother Luis Alexander Basabe is also a member of the Drive. The two starting playing baseball shortly before their 2012 free agent signings. They had grown up mostly playing soccer.
