Sox Talk with Will Middlebrooks is a recurring content series on NESN.com. Middlebrooks, a former Red Sox player and current NESN analyst, gives his insight and opinion on pertinent Red Sox storylines throughout the season. You can read the latest stories from the series here.
It was apparent the Boston Red Sox needed bullpen help before they took the field Friday night at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees.
But with the way Boston’s 9-7 win played out with the Red Sox blowing yet another late-game lead — it was the sixth time in seven games they blew a lead in the seventh inning or later — it only hammered home the point that Craig Breslow should look to acquire a relief pitcher prior to next Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Well, former Red Sox third baseman and 2013 World Series champion Will Middlebrooks has a couple of relief pitchers in mind that Boston should seek.
Miami Marlins All-Star reliever Tanner Scott would be a great addition to Boston’s bullpen, but Middlebrooks believed the price would be too high to acquire him. Instead, the Red Sox could look at Scott’s teammate in Anthony Bender as an option.
And what does Middlebrooks like about Bender?
“Everything,” Middlebrooks told NESN.com. “He throws 96 with sink, like a lot of movement. He fits a perfect Andrew Bailey mold. Metrically, one of the best sweepers in baseball. Elite profile sinker as well. Changeup is plus. It’s probably his third-best pitch but it’s still good. But his sweeper, sinker combination is very good.”
The 29-year-old right-hander hasn’t had the same type of success as Scott this season, but turned in a solid campaign nonetheless. Bender posted a 4-2 record in 44 relief appearances to go along with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.304 WHIP. He also has recorded 40 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.
Bender has experience closing out games as well. He registered six saves in 2022 and tallied three saves the season prior to that.
But if the Red Sox can’t pull off a trade with the Marlins, they could approach another team that is expected to be sellers at the deadline to try to obtain a reliever.
Chicago White Sox veteran reliever John Brebbia could be a trade target for the Red Sox. The 34-year-old isn’t having the best of seasons with an 0-5 record and a 5.22 ERA, but he’s generated plenty of swings-and-misses with 51 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 39 2/3 innings.
Brebbia, who is a Boston native, also has a relationship with Bailey after pitching three seasons for the Giants while Bailey was San Francisco’s pitching coach. Brebbia had one of his best seasons under Bailey’s watch in 2022 when he made 76 appearances and owned a 3.18 ERA and a 6-2 record in a league-leading 76 appearances.
“Really good strikeout-to-walkout rate,” Middlebrooks said of Brebbia. “In the last two months, he has a 1.40 ERA. If they’re selling and you do a package with them, you could get (Erick) Fedde and him together.”
