Justin Slaten is pretty damn good, isn't he?
The Red Sox probably weren't expecting the 26-year-old to become one of their most important bullpen pieces when they acquired him from the New York Mets last December -- at least not this early -- but that's exactly what he's become.
Slaten has even been more than that. He's a weapon.
Just take Friday for example. Boston watched Brennan Bernardino gave up a walk, single, then a three-run opposite-field homer in eighth -- and called on Slaten to preserve a one-run lead. He needed just five pitches to record two outs, getting the job done in what became an extra-innings win for the Red Sox at Comerica Park.
"He's been OK," Red Sox reliever Chris Martin joked Friday, per MassLive. "No, he's unbelievable, man. Yeah. I think just going out there and attacking the zone, that's everyone's goal in the bullpen. Obviously you're going to have good ones, you're going to have bad ones. You've just gotta roll with the punches and he's doing a good job of that."
Slaten has rolled with the punches plenty throughout his rookie season, spending 40 games on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. How much did the injury set him back? It didn't, as the strike thrower returned to produce two consecutive scoreless outings after needing just a single rehab appearance.
"He's huge," Boston manager Alex Cora said of Slaten, per MassLive. "We talk about getting healthy -- and having Chris (Martin) and Slaten back there in the bullpen, it helps us. It just happened today we needed to go to Slaten in that situation. We’ve got to stop the rally right there and he did an amazing job. Chris threw the ball well (in the 10th). We're in a better spot bullpen-wise now than where we were 15 days ago."
The Red Sox certainly are in a better spot than they were at the deadline. It had gotten so bad with Slaten and Martin on the IL, that Boston went out and acquired two bullpen arms -- Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia -- to fill the void.
Sims and Garcia lasted a disastrous few weeks before ending up on the IL themselves -- so, yes, Slaten's return is as big a deal as everyone is making it. Especially in the middle of an American League Wild Care race in which Boston is gaining ground.
