BOSTON — Right-handed reliever Isaiah Campbell, who the Red Sox acquired from the Mariners for infielder Luis Urías on Nov. 17, threw a nasty slider as a rookie last year. Opponents went just 7-for-51 (.137 batting average) with one extra-base hit (double) and .157 slugging percentage against it.
His four-seam fastball, meanwhile, averaged 95.0 mph, ranking in the 68th percentile among major leaguers, per Baseball Savant. Opponents were 10-for-38 (.263) with four extra-base hits against his heater.
“There might be one time where I throw more fastballs to a hitter. There’s other times where I throw more sliders,” Campbell said. “But obviously I had some success with the slider last year. And I actually throw two different sliders. So really this offseason, I’ve been working on both of them, kind of making them their own separate pitches. And really hammering that this offseason. But I don’t really see myself as having one pitch better than the other. I just go out there and really trust the process and work that way.”
Campbell is an interesting addition to a bullpen that should be one of Boston’s strengths in 2024. He has two minor league options remaining and so he will be able to shuttle between Boston and Triple-A Worcester. MassLive’s most recent Opening Day roster projection by Sean McAdam has Campbell beginning the season with the WooSox.
The 26-year-old, who stands at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, posted a 2.83 ERA (28 ⅔ innings, nine earned runs) and 1.22 WHIP in 27 relief outings for Seattle last year. He held opponents to a .210 batting average. He averaged 10.4 strikeouts and 4.1 walks per nine innings.
He showed better control last year at Double-A Arkansas than in the majors, averaging 10.1 strikeouts and 2.6 walks per nine innings while also recording a 2.63 ERA (24 innings, seven earned runs) and 1.04 WHIP in 23 relief outings.
Campbell explained the difference between his two sliders, one which Baseball Savant labels a sweeper.
“Two different grips and two different movements,” Campbell said. “I have what I call my harder slider, which has more velo and then the slower slider, which is considered a sweeper, I guess in a sense. So that’s basically my second slider. I always just call it a slider but I think in the world of baseball now it’s a sweeper. But yeah, just more movement, slower. But I like using both pitches to both sides of the plate to both lefties and righties. Some days I might have the sweeper better. Some days I might have the harder slider. I trust the catchers with the game plans we have going into a series and just trust my process and the results will come from that.”
His fastball is most effective when he throws it up.
“Definitely up in the zone,” Campbell said. “Higher slot guy and I think when I throw up in the zone, I have more success. Doesn’t mean I can’t go to other places. But really for me, my mentality is to throw it up in the zone and just attack hitters.”
Campbell was drafted in the second round (76th overall) as a starting pitcher out of Arkansas in 2019.
He hasn’t pitched much as a professional. He has a 2.01 ERA in 61 minor league career outings (89 ⅓ innings). He didn’t appear in any games in 2019 after being drafted. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020 when COVID canceled the minor league season.
He then appeared in only five games in 2021 because he underwent surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow, per MLB.com.
“It was obviously frustrating,” Campbell said. “You’re a competitor and you want to be out there kind of getting to that next step of making the big leagues. So it was frustrating at times but I just stuck to my plan. There’s two ways you can go through adversity. You can let it hinder you or you can learn from it and get better. And I took the approach of learning from it, getting better, getting my body stronger, hitting the weight room, working on pitch design and getting better in that way. But really just trusting the process. I knew the grass was greener on the other side. So just stuck with it. Didn’t want it to get to my head and make me feel down about myself. I just came in every day with a good mindset, a smile on my face and went to work.”
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He began his minor league career as a starter but got moved to the bullpen soon after returning from surgery.
“I think just the biggest difference was pre-injury I was a starter and ended up in the bullpen (post-injury),” he said. “But I take it as a win for my career because it got me to the big leagues and I just think it’s the best thing for my career moving forward, keeping me healthy and giving me the best chance to help the Red Sox win a World Series. It’s the role I’ve carved out. So that role now is just a part of me and who I am. So I think it was a blessing in disguise.”
The native of Portugal was in Tallahassee, Fla., when the Red Sox acquired him from the Mariners.
“It was a Friday and I was going to a rehearsal dinner for a wedding for one of my good friends,” he said. “So I was surrounded by all my close friends and stuff. I got the call and was told I was traded. I take it as a compliment. It’s a compliment to hear another team wants you and another team values you. That everything you’ve done up until that point — the success you’ve had, trusting the process, everything you’ve been through — it’s a huge compliment to me that another team wanted me. Coming to Boston, I’m just excited. This is a rich town of rich history. A lot of winning. It’s a winning culture. And that’s just huge for me. So I’m excited to be here.”
