The 2026 Bullpen

[nrockway]

I started to post this in the game thread but figured it could just be its own thread. Leasure's recent success got me thinking about what the Sox bullpen might realistically look like next year, if it might be pretty good, or if we could trade some of them.

Starting with Leasure, he actually has a pretty good profile for a backend reliever even if it hasn't translated to a good ERA. The walks are bad, right, but he's only walked 3 guys since August 1st and allowed 5 hits, giving up 4 runs. 2 on solo shots, 2 on a pitch thrown by Grant Taylor that anyone not named Mike Tauchman would've caught to end the inning. 13 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 15.2 K/9. An absurd 0.615 WHIP. I think he could more tradable than Grant is at this stage, but maybe you just go into next season with Leasure, Taylor, Vasil, S. Wilson, Wikelman as part of the bullpen. All pretty good and make nothing. There's 5 of 8 bullpen pieces making a combined ~$5mil or so. There are several more guys that are hurt/in AAA/currently starting that could also be worth a look. Whether starting or in relief, Thorpe, Berroa, Mason Adams, Carela, Pallette, Iriarte (looks to be busting) should see some MLB time although maybe not to start the season. Burke and Cannon should return. Peoples could get a shot. Might be missing a few. 

The problem is that all of those guys are right-handed. Not a lot of lefties in the system. Which lefties in the minors come of the bullpen in 2026? Ky Bush? Schweitzer? Bush looked semi-decent in a relief role before being injured. Schweitzer has been incredible at Birmingham...like seriously so good, 0 earned runs in 41.2 innings. But was really bad at Charlotte, 7.92 ERA, and got bounced back to Birmingham. I don't think either guy is a sure thing to be good at MLB and both could also be starters and not be on the MLB team to start 2026. Schultz and Hagen might get the Crochet treatment and come out of the pen before starting. Wouldn't love to see that. They're also not likely to start the season with the Sox. Maybe Noah. There's Chandler's finest Shane Murphy who's flying through the system, but he also still looks like a starter. Jake Palisch might be an option. The other two lefties of note, Oppor and Larson, are pretty far away from MLB.

Maybe Martín Pérez stays and moves to the bullpen. Maybe they bring him back to start and move him to the bullpen later. Now you're left with Eisert, Alexander, Booser and Ellard. Do the Sox give any of those guys a shot again in 2026? Alexander is a free agent, I see no point in bringing him back. Could see C Booz returning simply because they gave up a lot for him and also doesn't seem entirely useless. Ellard and Eisert seem pointless.

This leads me to think the Sox need to sign or otherwise acquire 3 left-handed pitchers, ideally young and with some upside. Can they do it in the Rule 5 Draft? Trade some of the righties or redundant position players? Don't see a point in getting an expensive 30+ veteran in free agency like Jose Alvarado or Gregory Soto this season. Caleb Ferguson or José Quijada could be options but are they better than the lefties we have this year?

 

tl;dr: the team look pretty set on inexpensive, controllable, pretty good bullpen righties but the LHP seems to be a weakness. To me the best internal options would be Peréz, Bush and Booser. Peréz might not be back (and is old) whereas Bush and Booser could just be bad. Booser is just bad but looks a lot better if he throws strikes. Not great options to be sure. Overall, not a bad position to be in.

Edited September 1 by nrockway

[T R U]

I would love to see more internal options used for next season in regards to the bullpen.

[2Deep]

You don't need to spend money on the bullpen. You have a few candidates now that can be good....

Vasil, leasure, Taylor.....

However, You do need to find a legit closer (That is the only one I am paying money too)