Red Sox Reportedly Ink One-Year Deal With Intriguing Reliever To Avoid Arbitration

The Boston Red Sox bullpen certainly is coming together. 

After having one of the worst bullpens in all of Major League Baseball in 2022, the Red Sox have made a plethora of moves to fix the hole in Boston's roster. Boston continued its focus on the bullpen with an under-the-radar move Thursday morning by reportedly inking left-handed pitcher Josh Taylor to a one-year contract while avoiding arbitration, according to MLB Insider Robert Murray. 

"Left-hander Josh Taylor and the Red Sox are in agreement on a one-year, $1.025 million contract to avoid arbitration, according to a source," Murray said. 

Taylor missed the entire 2022 season for Boston while dealing with a back injury but was one of the team's most important bullpen arms in 2021. The 29-year-old impressed in 2021 across 61 appearances compiling a 3.40 ERA and 60 strikeouts n 47.2 innings pitched. Taylor missed much of 2020 but was even more impressive in 2019 compiling a 3.04 ERA in 52 appearances. 

The left-handed pitcher was able to recover to the point where he made had rehabilitation stints with the Worcester Red Sox and Portland Sea Dogs but was only able to appear in 13 contests and never made his way back to Boston. 

If Taylor is able to return to form in 2023 he'll add an extra dimension to a Boston bullpen that struggled last season. Boston's bullpen is very heavy with right-handed pitchers to the point where if the season were to start, the Red Sox would have just two left-handed relief pitchers with Taylor being one. 

With Taylor's contract set at $1.025 million it also gives the team plenty of breathing room as it looks to spend money elsewhere to continue improving the squad. With the latest news of infielder Trevor Story expected to miss some time after undergoing elbow surgery the team certainly needs to make some sort of move and now have one less thing to worry about with Taylor's signing.

Boston's bullpen struggled in 2022, but with the return of Taylor and the additions of three-time All-Star Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, and Joely Rodriguez, things are looking up for Boston.