The Boston Red Sox know they need to address their bullpen in some meaningful capacity this winter if they want to achieve their 2025 goals.
After the 2024 All-Star break, the Red Sox had by far the worst bullpen in baseball. Red Sox relievers had an ERA nearly a run higher than any other team in the second half, and they blew 18 of 32 save opportunities, a number that stings even more when you realize they missed the playoffs by just five games.
Bringing in one more high-leverage reliever is paramount for the Red Sox, especially with veterans Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin both likely departing in free agency. And if you’re going to trust someone in high-leverage situations, it certainly doesn’t hurt if they have a World Series pedigree.
The Texas Rangers were a forgotten team in 2024 after winning their first-ever World Series in 2023, and the closer that anchored their bullpen on that run is now a free agent. José Leclerc was recently named as a possible target for the Red Sox this winter by Tim Crowley of NESN.
“Leclerc took a step back after the Rangers nearly pitched his arm off on their way to a World Series championship in 2023. His ERA zipped up over 4.00 after posting a sub-3.00 ERA in 2022 and 2023,” Crowley said.
“His fastball-slider combination can still overpower hitters when he’s fresh with elite strikeout and swing-and-miss numbers… Leclerc should not close for the Red Sox but can be a valuable leverage arm nonetheless.”
Leclerc had a 4.32 ERA in 66 2/3 innings this year, but he did have 89 strikeouts. His 3.48 FIP was actually his lowest since 2020, despite having and ERA below three in both 2022 and 2023, so the data suggests positive regression is on the way as well.
Sometimes, the best time to acquire a free agent is the season after a down year, because the price tag is lower, and the player is more motivated than ever before to succeed. Leclerc could be the ideal Red Sox bounceback candidate, but it’s also never a guarantee the bounceback will happen.
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