Red Sox Floated As Fit For 'Impact Reliever' Coming Off All-Star Season

So much has been made about the Boston Red Sox's shortcomings in the bullpen last offseason that it's a surprise the team hasn't done more to address them.

Sep 21, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan (67) reacts with catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) after a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matt Marton-Imagn Images

As big free-agent names like Jeff Hoffman, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates have come off the board, the Red Sox have largely stood pat. But with the departures of closer Kenley Jansen and setup man Chris Martin, there are still crucial innings to fill at the back end of the bullpen.

The Red Sox seem to be counting heavily on sophomore Justin Slaten and returning veteran Liam Hendriks to solve the vacant closer role somehow. But regardless of whether or not one of them proves successful, one more high-leverage reliever would still make a big difference.

Recently, NESN's Gio Rivera named a possible "impact reliever" for the Red Sox to sign: former Washington Nationals All-Star closer Kyle Finnegan, who was somewhat surprisingly non-tendered before his final year of arbitration.

"Finnegan earned his first trip to the MLB All-Star Game last season and concluded with a 3.68 ERA and 38 saves, the second-most among National League relievers and third-most among all relievers," Rivera wrote.

"The hard-throwing righty could emerge as a candidate to fill Boston’s closer role this upcoming year, giving teammates like Chapman and Garrett Whitlock flexibility to form a dominant late-innings crew."

Despite his All-Star nod, Finnegan's stock seems fairly low at the moment. He's 33, he had a 5.79 ERA in the second half last season, and he had oddly drastic home/road splits last season, allowing an .884 OPS away from Nationals Park compared to a .530 OPS in Washington.

At this stage of his career, Finnegan shouldn't be considered a strong candidate to take over the closer role. But bad closers often become good setup men, and if the Red Sox's pitching brain trust can come up with some solutions for Finnegan, he could prove to be a shrewd low-cost addition.