Red Sox Sign Intriguing 8-Year Veteran To Add Much-Needed Bullpen Depth

The righty can strike batters out...

Jul 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Austin Adams (29) reacts during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox aren't splurging during the holiday season, but they've stayed active nonetheless.

Pitching is a crucial ingredient to the Red Sox's success in 2025, and they have made moves both big and small to acquire it. In the wake of the monster Garrett Crochet trade, those moves have skewed toward the small side, but one never knows how each signing might pan out.

On Sunday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reported that the Red Sox had signed right-hander Austin Adams to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training. The contract reportedly includes up to $1.5 million in appearance bonuses.

Adams, 33, has pitched in eight seasons for five major-league teams, most recently the Oakland Athletics. The righty owns a 4.10 career ERA in 188 appearances. He's got a fiery demeanor on the mound, going semi-viral this year for mocking the New York Mets' signature "OMG" celebration.

In 2024, Adams had a 3.92 ERA in 56 appearances, striking out 55 batters in 41 1/3 innings (11.5 K/9). He's been prone to free passes throughout his career, and that was no different this year, as he issued 23 walks and plunked 13 batters.

Adams relies heavily on his slider, throwing it over 72% of the time in 2024. It has 9.3 inches of horizontal break on average, per Baseball Savant, which is 4.2 inches more than the big-league average. It generated a 39.2% whiff rate this season and a .199 expected batting average.

If the Red Sox can harness Adams' raw stuff and hone his control, he could be a useful piece for the bullpen at some point this season. He'll have to work for everything he gets.