The New York Yankees may be looking for starting pitching reinforcements, but the Red Sox are simply trying to stay alive in the AL East. Boston made a few moves to reinforce their team this offseason, but not enough to compete at the highest level, especially with the Yankees and Orioles getting significantly stronger.
Boston’s Offseason Moves
However, Boston did make one move over the weekend, signing former Yankee bullpen arm Lucas Luetge to a one-year contract.
“Year 17 and heading back to the Northeast,” Luetge said. “Excited to join the Red Sox organization!”
Luetge, now 36, pitched 13.2 innings with the Atlanta Braves last season, hosting a 7.24 ERA. He was coming off of a solid campaign with the Yankees in 2022, recording a 2.67 ERA over 57.1 innings with the Bombers, but his velocity has dropped off significantly with age. He averaged 87.6 mph on his fastball last year, from around 90 mph the years prior.
Luetge’s Role and Performance
Luetge didn’t throw a fastball very often with the Yankees but still maintained solid numbers and served as a relief pitcher and reserve to help supplement tough outings from the starting pitching rotation.
Evaluating the Value
Luetge is certainly at the back end of his career, but the Red Sox are trying to get any last bit of value while the Yankees get younger and look to maximize talent that fits their mold.