For the first time since taking over last month, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has handed out a major league contract to a free agent.
Boston has agreed to sign former Rays right-hander Cooper Criswell to a one-year, $1 million major-league deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Criswell will go on Boston’s 40-man roster and have a chance to compete for bullpen innings next season.
Breslow has already made four major league trades — most notably shipping Alex Verdugo the Yankees and getting Tyler O’Neill from the Cardinals last week — but had yet to dip into the major league free agent pool before coming to terms with Criswell. Criswell is the fourth right-handed pitcher added to the 40-man from outside the organization in recent weeks by Breslow, who also acquired Isaiah Campbell, Greg Weissert and Justin Slaten in trades in an effort to add bullpen depth.
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Criswell, 27, has made 12 major league appearances over the last three years with the Angels (2021) and Rays (2022-23). He owns a career 5.97 ERA in 37 ⅔ big league innings but has a track record of minor league success and posted a 3.93 ERA while recording 80 strikeouts in 84 ⅔ innings (23 games, 17 starts) at Triple-A Durham last season. The versatile Criswell has largely pitched as a starter in the minors but was used exclusively as a reliever for the Rays in 10 appearances last season. According to Statcast, his unorthodox sidearm delivery ranked in the 90th percentile in terms of extension last season; he has also exhibited strong control throughout his time in the minors, walking just 2.1 batters per nine innings in 374 innings over four years.
The Red Sox likely view Criswell as a middle relief option with the ability to make a spot start; he has a minor league option remaining, so he will be able to be shuttled back-and-forth freely between Worcester and Boston. The UNC alum joins a crowded mix of right-handed relief candidates that Breslow in front of the projected back-end trio of John Schreiber, Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen. Newcomers Criswell, Campbell and Weissert, along with returnees Zack Kelly and Zack Weiss, all have minor league options remaining along, giving Breslow roster flexibility. Slaten, Bryan Mata and Mauricio Llovera are all out of options but will get a chance to crack the Opening Day roster in spring training. Boston also has a few versatile pitchers who could serve either rotation or bullpen roles, including Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock and Josh Winckowski.
Tampa Bay non-tendered Criswell after the season and had interest in signing him along with other clubs. As Passan notes, the righty found a solid enough market that the Red Sox had to guarantee him a 40-man roster spot (and $1 million) to get a deal done. When the deal is official, the Red Sox will have 39 players on their 40-man roster.
