With the trade deadline behind them and a playoff race heating up, the Boston Red Sox may turn to their own system for late-season relief help.
David Sandlin, a hard-throwing righty acquired from Kansas City in the John Schreiber deal, opened his Triple-A stint with five strong innings as a starter before transitioning into a bullpen role this week.
That shift signals the Red Sox may be preparing him for a potential call-up. He has been clocked at 99 mph, giving Boston a power option that could deepen the relief corps during a postseason push.
“It is tantalizing to imagine Sandlin blowing away big league hitters with his 99 mph fastball during a playoff race in September,” Boston Herald reporter Mac Cerullo wrote Friday.
Another arm to monitor is Kyle Harrison, the 23-year-old lefty acquired in the Rafael Devers trade. On Thursday, Harrison turned in one of his best outings since joining the organization — five shutout innings with seven strikeouts and 99 pitches against the Buffalo Bisons.
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The Red Sox have implemented a plan to add a cutter and sinker to complement his fastball-heavy approach, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.
“Really excited to build kind of the arsenal around that (the fastball), making that the main event,” director of pitching Justin Willard said when he was acquired in June.
Baseball America ranked Harrison No. 26 on its Top 100 list entering 2024. He owns a 4.48 ERA over 39 big league appearances, including 35 starts.
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Connelly Early, who joined Sandlin and Payton Tolle in receiving recent promotions to Worcester, continues to rise within the system. The left-hander is now ranked as Boston’s No. 5 prospect, a jump fueled by his strong command and steady development. His profile could add another lefty dimension to the Red Sox bullpen picture when rosters expand in September.
If September unfolds the way Boston hopes, internal options like Sandlin, Harrison and Early could play pivotal roles in keeping the bullpen fresh down the stretch.
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