The Boston Red Sox made a depth signing just four days before pitchers and catchers report.
On February 10, the Red Sox signed former Yankees pitcher Lucas Luetge, who announced the contract on his personal Twitter. The contract terms are unknown, but MLB Trade Rumors speculates that the lefty inked a minor-league deal that included an invitation to Boston’s spring training.
Luetge has had a fascinating career, with numerous highs and lows. He made his MLB debut with Seattle in 2012 and pitched for both the Mariners and Triple-A Tacoma until 2015, when he was outrighted. Luetge pitched 89 innings for the Mariners during his four-year tenure, recording a 4.35 ERA and 74 strikeouts.
After being outrighted by Seattle, Luetge did not return to the majors until 2021. The Yankees signed him to a minor-league contract earlier that year, and the reliever performed so well in spring training that he made the Opening Day roster. Luetge pitched for New York for two seasons, totaling 72.1 innings with a 2.71 ERA.
The next offseason, the Yankees signed Tommy Kahnle and designated Luetge for assignment. He was dealt to the Braves and struggled on the mound. He had a 7.24 ERA in just 13.2 innings and was DFA’d soon.
The Red Sox sign Lucas Luetge, a former Yankee, and are interested in Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Randal Grichuk, and Michael A. Taylor.
Aside from adding depth to the bullpen, the Red Sox still need to fill out the outfield to complete their roster for the season. The front office is interested in four outfielders: Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, Michael A. Taylor, and Randal Grichuk.
Boston has been considering a reunion with Duvall for some weeks (according to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Red Sox and Angels were both interested in the outfielder). However, as the offseason comes to a close, it appears that more teams have entered the mix.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Cubs, Giants, Orioles, Diamondbacks, and Twins are all looking for an outfielder and may be considered options for any of these players.
Duvall would be the best fit for Boston’s lineup because he played with them last season and got off to a good start before hurting his wrist in April. He had 92 appearances for the Sox and batted.247/.303/.531
Taylor is by and away the greatest defender in the group. He had 9 OAA in 2023, and Baseball Savant places his arm strength in the 90th percentile. However, Taylor’s bat is inconsistent, and he is a career player..239/.294/.389 hitter in ten seasons in the majors.
Pham played with the Red Sox in the second half of the 2022 season, but he performed better at the plate with the Mets and Diamondbacks in 2023. The righty hit.256/.328/.446 last season, up from.236/.312/.374 in 2022. He’s a decent fielder, but not quite as excellent as Taylor. Baseball Savant ranks Pham’s arm strength in the 69th percentile, and he had a -1 OAA last season.
Grichuk played for the Rockies and the Angels in 2023. His defense is lackluster in comparison to the rest of Boston’s candidates; he had a -7 OAA last season, and his arm strength is in the 67th percentile. In 2023, he hit.267/.321/.459, his third-best season at the plate in a 10-year span.
If Boston has a preference among the outfield candidates under consideration, it should sign one of them immediately. If all of the teams Rosenthal named chose Pham, Duvall, Grichuk, and Taylor to fill outfield positions, some of them will be left with nothing. The Red Sox cannot afford to go behind again.
