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MLB Rumors: 5 relievers the Red Sox should target

By Joshua Sadlock

PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 22: Francisco Liriano #47 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the seventh inning during the game against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on June 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JUNE 22: Francisco Liriano #47 of the Pittsburgh Pirates delivers a pitch in the seventh inning during the game against the San Diego Padres at PNC Park on June 22, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 14: Jake Diekman #40 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of the game on June 14, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 2-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 14: Jake Diekman #40 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of the game on June 14, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 2-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

4. Jake Diekman

As their bullpen is currently constructed, the Red Sox are painfully short on left-handed relievers. Josh Taylor is the only option on the active roster at the moment, and he has a 5.68 ERA in 12.2 innings. Overall, the team’s relievers have given up a .242/.338/.458 line with 37 home runs to lefty hitters. Clearly, something has to change.

There are always plenty of left-handed relievers on the trade block for contenders to pick over, and this year is no different. If the Red Sox want to go strictly for a left-handed specialist, Kansas City Royals southpaw Jake Diekman is a good option to consider. The 32-year-old has held lefty hitters to a .230/.329/.300 line for his eight-year career. So far this season, he has held them to a .154/.327/.205 line with 11 strikeouts.

As a submariner, Diekman does have a tendency to be volatile, as evidenced by his 4.76 ERA this season. That mark has been driven up by occasional bouts of wildness. Diekman is striking out 13.5 per-nine but is walking 5.3 per-nine. His ERA would come in at a much better 3.27 if two ugly three-run appearances are taken out of the equation.

Diekman could thrive for the Red Sox in a role where he is used strictly as a lefty specialist. He has been used that way for most of his career, but the Royals have pressed him into going for full innings at a time because of their own depth issues. He has managed the task fairly well, but offers the most value to a contender as a LOOGY.

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