FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox made some headway on their Opening Day roster by narrowing down their field of bullpen candidates Wednesday.
Relievers Luis Guerrero and Josh Winckowski were among the players informed that they have been sent to the minors and won’t make the Opening Day roster. Both righties have major league experience and entered camp with a chance to make the team.
The moves leave the Red Sox with 19 healthy pitchers in camp — and 6-8 candidates for three remaining bullpen spots. Assuming five relievers (Aroldis Chapman, Liam Hendriks, Justin Slaten, Garrett Whitlock and Justin Wilson) are locks for the eight-man Opening Day bullpen, there are still a few decisions to be made. Zack Kelly, Greg Weissert and Brennan Bernardino are in the mix for those spots, as are non-roster veterans Matt Moore and Adam Ottavino. Righty Bryan Mata remains in major league camp as well. And if the Red Sox choose to carry a long reliever, someone like Cooper Criswell, Sean Newcomb or Michael Fulmer could crack the roster as a long reliever, depending on how Boston fills out the two openings in its starting rotation.
Late Wednesday, manager Alex Cora declined to anoint right-hander Richard Fitts as his No. 4 starter behind Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck and Walker Buehler to start the season, but Fitts is in line to start the fourth game of the season and seems primed for that role. Quinn Priester, Criswell, Newcomb and Fulmer are in the mix to take the fifth spot. Two pitchers in that group could make the club (one as a starter and one as a long reliever), leaving two short-stint bullpen spots for the group that includes Kelly, Weissert, Bernardino, Ottavino and Moore.
Kelly has had a standout camp, striking out eight batters while walking just one and posting a 2.57 ERA in seven games. Bernardino has also impressed Cora with increased fastball life and a 1.35 ERA in six games. Weissert put himself in a good position for consideration late last season with 16 ⅔ shutout innings to end 2024 in the majors.
Roster flexibility may come into play, however. Both Moore and Ottavino, as established veterans on minor league contracts, can trigger opt-out clauses and re-enter free agency if they’re not on the 40-man roster five days before Opening Day. By not carrying them, the Red Sox would risk losing them, unlike pitchers like Kelly, Bernardino, Weissert, Criswell and Priester who have minor league options remaining and guys like Newcomb and Fulmer, who don’t have the ability to opt out.
Guerrero didn’t allow an earned run in 10 innings at the end of last year after debuting on September 8 and seemed to position himself with a strong start to camp. He then started Grapefruit League action strong before struggling with command, in total, he has a 9.37 ERA (and 9 walks) in 5 ⅔ exhibition innings.
Winckowski owns a 3.48 ERA in 160 ⅓ innings in the majors over the last two seasons. His Grapefruit League showing was a rough one, as he ran up a 15.43 ERA in seven innings.
The Red Sox also made a key decision on the position player side by optioning Vaughn Grissom to minor league camp. Catchers Nathan Hickey and Mark Kolozvary were also sent down, leaving Boston with 46 players remaining in big league camp, including 12 non-roster invitees.
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