With less than a week left in their season, the Boston Red Sox seemingly have shifted their focus into taking a look at as many players as possible. On Saturday, they made some roster moves that look to have backed that idea.
The Red Sox reinstated pitcher Kaleb Ort from the restricted list, elevated pitcher Josh Winckowski and optioned pitcher Tyler Danish and outfielder Jarren Duran following Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, per chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.
These moves seemingly indicate Boston’s desire to get a couple more looks at a pair of pitchers who have been leaned on heavily down the stretch.
Ort has become a key piece in Boston’s bullpen since his elevation to the big league club July 10. With Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck both shut down for the season, Ort has been used as a back of the bullpen piece, securing his first major league save Thursday. His return to the club comes just one day after he was placed on the restricted list. The 30-year-old has a 6.23 ERA in 27 1/3 innings pitched this season.
Winckowski’s return is a bit more curious, as the Red Sox’s starting rotation seemingly is filled as of right now with Michael Wacha, Nathan Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Rich Hill and Brayan Bello all having made a start in the past week. Boston could want to use Winckowski as a way to give each starter an extra day off, which essentially would end Nick Pivetta’s season as he started Friday. They also could take a look at Winckowski as a bullpen piece. The 24-year-old has made 14 appearances this season, all starts, and has a 5.75 ERA in 67 1/3 innings pitched.
Danish and Duran both were optioned after playing Friday. Danish finished the matchup with Toronto allowing four earned runs off five hits in two innings pitched. Duran went 1-for-4 from the plate with a single in his short-lived return to the big leagues.
The Red Sox will look to bounce back from a loss to the Blue Jays on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:07 p.m. ET, and you can catch all of the action, plus an hour of pregame coverage, with NESN 360.
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