Cleveland Indians closer Brad Hand converted 16-of-16 save opportunities and posted a 2.05 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 1.37 FIP and .169 batting average against in 23 outings this season.
But the Indians have placed him on outright waivers, The Athletic’s Zack Meisel reported Thursday. Any team now has the ability to put in a waiver claim for him.
The Red Sox — who are without a proven closer — should go for it. It would be a smart move that would improve the bullpen drastically. Boston finished 2020 ranked 27th in the majors in reliever ERA (5.79). Only the Mariners, Rockies and Phillies finished with higher reliever ERAs.
Hand has a $10 million team option and $1 buyout. So the Red Sox, or any other team that wins the claim, would pay him $10 million in 2021. He also has a $1 million buyout.
So why aren’t the Indians just buying out his option year? If another team claims him, that saves the Indians $1 million, as Meisel pointed out.
A lot of talented players like Hand could have their options declined as teams are dealing with financial losses in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Red Sox were rumored to have interest in Hand in 2018 before the Padres traded him to the Indians. At the time, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported that the “likely asking price would be a young everyday player, such as Rafael Devers.”
Matt Barnes converted 9-of-12 save opportunities and posted a 3.38 ERA after taking over as Red Sox closer when Boston traded Brandon Workman to the Phillies on Aug. 21.
Both Barnes and Darwinzon Hernandez are internal candidates.
MassLive.com earlier this week wrote about potential free agent candidates the Red Sox might pursue.
Liam Hendricks, Alex Colomé, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates are free agents.
Hendricks received the 2020 Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year after converting 14-of-15 save opportunities, and posting a 1.78 ERA (25 ⅓ innings, five earned runs), .161 batting average against and 0.67 WHIP in 24 outings for the Athletics.
Colomé converted 12-of-13 save opportunities for the White Sox in 2020. He recorded a 0.81 ERA (22 ⅓ innings, two earned runs) 0.94 WHIP and .163 batting average against. Colomé also posted a 3.21 ERA in 196 outings (19 starts) for the Rays from 2013-18.
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