Boston – While wooing free agent Juan Soto and pursuing a trade for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox made a complementary move on Thursday by signing lefty reliever Justin Wilson to a one-year contract. A source told MLB.com that the veteran will be paid $2.25 million, although the organization has not verified the amount.
Adding Wilson is the first step by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow in what is likely to be a substantial bullpen overhaul this winter. Closer Kenley Jansen and top setup man Chris Martin are both free agents. Jansen is not in the club’s long-term plans, and it is uncertain whether the team will try to keep Martin.
Boston struggled from the left side of the bullpen in ’24, but Wilson will join Brennan Bernardino as alternatives for manager Alex Cora next season.
Last season, Wilson pitched for the Reds, recording a 5.59 ERA in 60 games. In 46 2/3 innings, Wilson allowed 55 hits and 13 walks while striking out 51. Wilson’s return season came after missing much of ’22 and all of ’23 due to Tommy John surgery.
Wilson performed better versus righties (.754 OPS) than lefties (.919 OPS) past season. Wilson’s splits throughout his career have been rather neutral, with lefties hitting.251 with a.704 OPS and righties hitting.220 with a.650 OPS.
In a career that has also made stops in Pittsburgh,
Wilson, 37, has 34-29 records with the Yankees and Mets, as well as Detroit and Chicago (Cubs), with a 3.61 ERA and 20 saves. All 587 of his appearances have been from the bullpen.
According to Statcast, Wilson’s finest attribute in ’24 was a 33.8 percent chase rate, which ranked him in the 95th percentile. In other news, the Red Sox have hired Chris Holt as their new bullpen coach. The 45-year-old Portland, Maine native has served as the Orioles’ director of pitching for the past five seasons. He was the club’s Major League pitching coach from 2021 to 2023.
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