What Should the Red Sox do with David Murphy?

(Photo Source: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America)

By: Forrest Mulheron

The Boston Red Sox will have some serious questions to answer before this Sunday when David Murphy's opt-out date arrives. 

Boston inked Murphy to a minor league deal in late-February that included an opt-out date of March 27th. Murphy stated earlier in the week he would likely retire over taking a minor league assignment at this point in his career, so now the Red Sox must decide if they have room on the 25-man roster for the veteran outfielder or are they willing to let the former 2003 first-round draft choice walk. 

Although Murphy has looked good this spring, his .276 on-base percentage and .633 on-base plus slugging percentage leave a lot to be desired. At 34 years old, it is hard to imagine the Red Sox trading away one of their young star outfielders to make room for Murphy - but that doesn't mean they are completely out of options. 

Rusney Castillo has minor league options that could be taken advantage of, giving Murphy the chance to start the season on the big league roster while Castillo continues his seasoning in Triple-A. 

The big downside to this option would be the $11.2 million Castillo is owed this season (not to mention the $12 million the Red Sox have already paid him) and the fact he has only played in 85 major league games over the last two seasons. Boston made a big investment when they went out and got Castillo and at some point are going to have to give him a chance to prove he can compete in the major leagues - unless they are willing to eat a major part of his salary and trade the unproven outfielder.

The Cleveland Indians have recently been rumored to have shown interest in the Red Sox young outfielders - specifically Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. Although it would be impossible to picture Boston trading Betts and almost nearly as impossible to picture them trading the gold-glove caliber Bradley Jr - this could be Boston's chance to unload Castillo's largely disappointing contract if they were willing and give Murphy a spot on the team. 

Although he has shown some promise this spring and the Red Sox have potential moves they could make to put him on the big league roster, it appears most likely that Murphy will retire after the Red Sox offer him a minor league assignment on Sunday. Murphy hasn't started a game in nearly a week and hasn't exactly turned many heads while in the lineup. As good of a story as it would have made, the Red Sox will be smarter to see what they have in Castillo and Bradley Jr. 

Pablo Sandoval: Comeback Player of the Year?

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

 By: Tom Joyce

Put the bat down Pablo. This is a faint sense of optimism.

Last year, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval was paid more than ever at $19 million per year in his new contract. He was also the least productive he had ever been, hitting .245 with a .658 OPS. He also posted a .948 fielding percentage but was murdered by sabermetrics for his lack of mobility.

It was a down year for Sandoval, a guy, who in the past, had been in the running for MVP. With the amount of heat he has received in Boston, it seems clear that everyone thinks he is a talented and capable player. No one was on Lars Anderson's case when he struggled in the bigs.

Sandoval's season is not off on the right track with him coming into spring training in poor shape. He has been analyzed and scrutinized more than anyone and his frustrations are understandable. It makes sense that he would be mad that FanGraphs said that he should have made plays that he shouldn't and decided that he was "the second worst third baseman" in the game.

Expectations can't be too high for Sandoval so say for a second that he really does feel great like he has said, then maybe, just maybe he puts up a season like he has in the past. If he does that, then he could definitely be an American League Comeback Player of the Year candidate.

There is not much of an indication that he is better based off of his spring stats. But say Pablo is actually right. Say he actually did something this offseason that fixed his game. He really could win the award. He is eligible. He had a down year last year. He has to be on the preseason watch list.

It’s up to him to produce though. WIll he hit .330 ever again? Probably not. But that does not mean his career is over either. He will have to do his talking on the field because at the same time, Travis Shaw is coming for his job at third.

Is it Already Time to Panic for the Red Sox?

(Photo Source: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

By: Tom Joyce

Winning the Grapefruit League title and the Mayor's Cup do not necessarily guarantee anything for the regular season. And more often than not, the Red Sox are not a great Spring Training team because they tend to play their regulars sparingly. Even so, they have dropped seven straight, so it time to panic? 

So far, at 5-10 through 15 games, the Red Sox are in 13th place among the 15 Grapefruit League teams. To put it in perspective, only the Atlanta Braves, who were far and away the worst hitting team against right-handed pitching last season and the Baltimore Orioles, who have arguably the worst pitching rotation in the American League, are behind Boston. 

Wins and losses aren't huge in the spring. But teams are looking for their teams to play clean games. If a pitcher isn't bringing the heat and surrenders a few hits, that is not an issue. But when a pitcher can't throw strikes and guys aren't making routine plays in the field, there might be an issue. 

Yesterday's Red Sox game wasn't so clean as Clay Buchholz was not on his game. None of the pitchers except Carlos Marmol and Anthony Varvaro, who each recorded just one out, had a particularly sharp outing last night. 

Mookie Betts went deep and Hanley Ramirez had some clean play at first base. A few regulars had a base hit, but nothing too special. 

There were positives to to take out of the 9-4 loss. But it is hard not to question a team when they are not playing clean ball games. There is losing a hard fought game and then there is giving games away. And the Red Sox have done the latter on several occasions this spring. 

There are still so many question marks on this team that will be echoed until they are answered: Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez, Rusney Castillo, Jackie Bradley Jr., everybody in the rotation whose name isn't David Price and John Farrell. Sure, the Red Sox look deep on the mound -- especially in the bullpen. But the bullpen can't win a team games, they can just not lose them. 

It does not help the Red Sox case either seeing that they are in a tough division. There might not be a standout team, but there aren't any slouches because even the O's have a strong lineup. Certainly, it will he interesting to see how the managerial situation unfolds with Farrell's replacement sitting right next to him in the dugout.

Sam Travis Better Than Travis Shaw?

(Photo Source: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

Travis Shaw has undoubtedly been one of the hottest topics so far this spring, slashing .480/.519/.800 with two home runs, nine RBIs and five runs scored - some have even discussed the potential for starting him over struggling third baseman, Pablo Sandoval.

Despite Travis Shaw's impressive performance so far this month, perhaps Red Sox fans are forgetting there may be an even better Travis on the roster, first baseman Sam Travis.

The 22-year old Sam Travis has quietly been even hotter than Shaw with the bat so far, hitting .579/.500/.842 with a home run, nine RBIs and three runs scored.

Travis is coming off a 2015 campaign which saw him hit .307/.381/.452 with nine home runs, 78 RBIs and 70 runs scored between the Single-A Salem Red Sox and Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. Those numbers were good enough to earn him a spot on the mid-season All-Star squad while with Salem and be named the Portland Sea Dog's Most Valuable Player award.

The 2014 second round pick continued to heat up when he arrived in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .344/.394/.505 with 14 RBIs and a walk-off home run in 23 games. Travis' team, the Scottsdale Scorpions, eventually defeated the Surprise Saguaros to claim the 2015 AFL Championship.

Although he is most likely at least a year away from seeing any MLB action, it is fair to argue that Travis has a higher ceiling then Shaw (.310 minor league average compared to .261) and should be the a serious candidate for the Red Sox first base job in the future. Travis also hits right-handed, which makes would bode well with the Green Monster and short left field porch.

One option after this season could be to slide Ramirez from first base into the designated hitter, allowing Shaw and Travis to platoon at first base. Depending on what happens with Sandoval moving forward, another option could be to start Shaw at third and Travis at first.

Regardless of the option the Red Sox choose, we could be looking at an even better version of Travis Shaw in young Sam Travis. Keep an eye on him in Pawtucket this season, or even when the Red Sox make their September call-ups.

Former Red Sox Pitcher Bronson Arroyo's Career Likely Over

(Photo Source: Chris Trotman/Getty Images North America)

After being scratched from his start versus the Miami Marlins yesterday, Peter Gammons reported that Bronson Arroyo has suffered an 80 percent tear of the labrum in his right should which will likely end his career.

Arroyo had never made a trip to the DL in his major league career before 2014 when he missed the second half of the season and all of 2015 after having Tommy John surgery. The Nationals gave Arroyo one more chance to make a major league roster, inking him in January to a minor league deal.

A part of the 2004 group of 'idiots' that reversed and 86 year old curse and won the World Series, Arroyo joined David Ortiz as the only players still active from that team going into this season.

Arroyo may have only spent parts of three seasons with the Red Sox, but provided many memorable moments.

Would the Red Sox be Wise to Trade Dustin Pedroia?

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

By: Forrest Mulheron

Dustin Pedroia has been a mainstay in the lineup and face of the Boston franchise since 2007, but is it time the Red Sox move on from the second baseman?

There is no doubt Pedroia, a Woodland, CA native, is one of the fiercest competitors in the game. He brings an unparalleled intensity and has the dirt dog attitude Red Sox fans love. Pedroia's maximum effort on the field has not come without it's downside, he has found himself on the disabled list several times going back to 2010.

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron)

Pedroia is under contract through the 2021 campaign and coming into this season has accrued nine years of major league service time. Once Pedroia reaches 10 years of service time, the Red Sox will not be able to trade him without his consent as part of MLB's 10-5 rule. His current contact contains a limited no-trade clause, but that only covers a small number of teams according to reports.

Despite Pedroia's popularity among teammates and fans alike, it may be time the Red Sox begin considering the potential returns they could get for the All-Star second baseman.

Pedroia signed a very team-friendly contract extension during the 2013 season worth seven years and $110 million. Coming into the 2016 season he is owed salaries of $13M, $15M, $16M, $15M, $13M and $12M. Despite being 32 years old and prone to injury, those would be highly attractive numbers to almost any team considering the $20M+ contracts lesser players are getting on the open market.

It is no secret the Red Sox are getting younger with names like Betts, Bogaerts and Swihart expected to be mainstays of Boston's lineup for years to come. After trading several top prospects to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Craig Kimbrel, Pedroia could bring a return that would add to a farm system that is still considered one of the best in the game - or even a major league player ready to add to this season's playoff run.

Last March, the Red Sox signed young Cuban phenom, Yoan Moncada, to a deal worth $31.5 in guaranteed money. Moncada plays second base, and although he looked rough around the edges last year on defense, he carries tremendous offensive potential and would make an obvious replacement for Pedroia in the future.

Until then, the Red Sox have other options that could be considered. Mookie Betts was a second baseman until being moved to center field while with the Portland Sea Dogs in May of 2014. With veteran David Murphy in Red Sox camp this spring, they could consider moving Betts back to second and starting Murphy in right field - granted he doesn't exercise his opt-out at the end of spring training.

This is of course just heavy speculation, but it is an interesting thought to consider trading Pedroia before the season's end - no matter how unlikely it may be.

Swihart to Return to Game Action on Wednesday

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

 

Update: 03/14/2016 @ 10:34

"Everything is fine. No concussion and I am good to go," Swihart told Pete Abraham.

Abraham also reports that Swihart was fitted for a special mouth guard two weeks ago that will protect from shots to the jaw. Unfortunately, it hasn't arrived yet and he will have to wear a temporary model until then. He will return to game action on Wednesday..

Swihart Exits Game With Bruised Jaw - 03/13/2016 @ 5:00 PM

Assumed Red Sox starting catcher, Blake Swihart, suffered a bruised jaw when a foul ball deflected off his mask during Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

It has been reported that Swihart suffered a contusion to his jaw, but that he came back negative for any signs of a concussion.

“He got his bell rung, obviously,” Red Sox manager John Farrell told WEEI. “We’ll check him tomorrow, obviously monitor him day to day. At this point no further test unless things don’t clear up. Again with contusion, we’ll monitor day to day.”

Stay tuned for updates.

Game Preview: Red Sox vs Pirates - March 14, 2016

(Photo Source: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

Game Preview: Red Sox vs Pirates - March 14, 2015

The Red Sox have posted the lineup for today's game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:05pm at JetBlue Park.

Joe Kelly looks to continue building on his solid spring against the Pirates this afternoon, while the Red Sox roll out a lineup capable of starting on Opening Day. Jackie Bradley Jr. brings his .412 spring average into play, while Pablo Sandoval tries to get some momentum going as Travis Shaw has the day off.

Boston Red Sox -  

1. Mookie Betts - Right Field  - .292 BA, .292 OBP, .833 OPS, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R
2. Dustin Pedroia - Second Base - .143 BA, .200 OBP, .343 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 R
3. David Ortiz - Designated Hitter -  .083 BA, .083 OBP, .167 OPS, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R
4. Xander Bogaerts - Shortstop - .286 BA, .375 OBP, .732 OPS 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
5. Hanley Ramirez - First Base - .333 BA, .375 OBP, .975 OPS, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
6. Pablo Sandoval - Third Base - .125 BA, .125 OBP, .375 OPS, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 R
7. Rusney Castillo - Left Field - .316 BA, .316 OBP, .684 OPS, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
8. Jackie Bradley Jr. - Center Field - .412 BA, .500 OBP, 1.088 OPS, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
9. Christian Vazquez - Catcher - 0-for-4

Pitching - Joe Kelly - 1-0, 2.80 ERA, 4.1 IP,  4 K, 1.85 WHIP

Pittsburgh Pirates -

Steven Wright Should Start the Year in the Rotation

(Photo Source: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

By: Tom Joyce

The pitching battle might just go past the mound for the Red Sox this spring.

With sophomore southpaw Eddie Rodriguez most likely slated to start the season on the Disabled List, the Red Sox need to start looking for a fill-in option until he is ready to pitch again.
Names thrown out to take Rodriguez' spot in the rotation include; Steven Wright, Henry Owens, Brian Johnson and Roenis Elias. Albeit the latter three are young lefties, like Rodriguez, the knuckleballer seems to be their best bet.

Either way, Wright is a near lock to make the team. The Red Sox seem to like him as a mop-up man -- since he can come out of the bullpen and eat innings. He is out of major league options, so it is either he makes the team or the Red Sox risk losing him to the waiver wire.

Last season, Wright went 3-4 with a 3.96 ERA in nine big league starts. He might not be a lights out pitcher, but he has really seemed to hold his own at the big league level these past three seasons. To start the year last season, Wright was the No. 6 starting pitcher on the depth chart.

Both Owens and Johnson are slated to start the season in the minors for a reason. Owens needs to improve upon his command while health is a concern for Johnson. The Red Sox have plenty of starting pitching depth at the moment, so they are trying to situate Elias in the bullpen since they are rather thin from the left side.

And 31-year-old lefty specialist Tommy Layne, who looks to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, is just as much of a DFA candidate as he is a bullpen candidate. If anything goes awry there, Elias might have a bullpen opportunity in Boston -- provided he adjusts well to the new role.

Assuming Rodriguez' injury is not too severe, the starting spot would only be a part-time gig. The Red Sox have the likes of Heath Hembree, Matt Barnes and Noe Ramirez in terms of right-handed relievers with big league experience on their 40-man roster who could briefly fill in for Wright in the bullpen.

With likely DFA candidate Edwin Escobar still on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox could either give him a brief shot in the bigs before doing the inevitable. Or they could give Carlos Marmol a shot in the bullpen if his spring goes well.

Carson Smith to Return to Game Action Tuesday

(Photo Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

By: Tom Joyce 

It won't be long before Carson Smith is back in action for the Red Sox.

The second year reliever, who came from Seattle alongside Roenis Elias in the Wade Miley deal, has not pitched in a game since March 6. But he could be back at it soon enough.

Smith, was sidelined with muscle spasms in his back, will throw a bullpen session today and will pitch in a Spring Training game on Tuesday, according to The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham.

Smith led all rookie relievers with 92 strikeouts in 70 innings last season. He also led the team in appearances (70) and had the lowest ERA (2.31) of a Mariners reliever who threw at least 35 innings out of the bullpen.

This year, the 26-year-old will play a key role in Boston's late inning relief corps alongside Craig Kimbrel and Koji Uehara. 

Game Preview: Red Sox @ Rays - March 13, 2016

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Diamond Digest)

Game Preview: Red Sox @ Rays - March 13, 2015

The Red Sox have posted the lineup for today's game at that Tampa Bay Rays at 1:07pm at Charlotte Sports Park which will be broadcast on NESN, MLB.TV and on the radio from WEEI.

Rick Porcello will make his second start of the spring and is hoping it goes better than round one where he allowed one run on three hits over two innings. Albeit you can't put much stock into a spring start, it would be nice to see him limit some of the hard contact that plagued him last year when 25 home runs in 28 starts (not ideal for a sinker ball pitcher). Travis Shaw looks to continue his red hot spring, while top prospect Yoan Moncada is back in the lineup.

Boston Red Sox -  

1. Mookie Betts - Right Field  - .238 BA, .238 OBP, .762 OPS, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
2. Brock Holt - Shortstop - .214 BA, .313 OBP, .741 OPS, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
3. David Murphy - Left Field - .444 BA, .444 OBP, 1.000 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
4. Travis Shaw - Third Base - .526 BA, .571 OBP, 1.466 OPS, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 5 R
5. Allen Craig - Designated Hitter - .294 BA, .333 OBP, .627 OPS, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. - Center Field - .429 BA, .529 OBP, 1.172 OPS, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 R
7. Blake Swihart - Catcher - .273 BA, .273 OBP, .727 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R
8. Sam Travis - First Base
9. Yoan Moncada - Second Base 

Pitching -Rick Porcello - 1 G, 1 GS, 2 IP, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP


Tampa Bay Rays -

Who Will Take Rodriguez's Spot in the Rotation?

(Photo Source: Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

By: Forrest Mulheron

It appears as thought he knee injury suffered by Eduardo Rodriguez while shagging fly balls during spring training camp in late February is not a major cause for concern. However, it's has all but been confirmed that Rodriguez will miss his first start of the year (if not the first few) and now the Red Sox must begin to think about his replacement.

A couple obvious choices stick out in fellow left-handers, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson. Both made their major league debuts in 2015 and showed potential on the mound, but neither looked as polished as Rodriguez who looked like he belonged in the majors from the beginning.

Brian Johnson's first MLB start of his career would also be the final start of his 2015 campaign, as it was announced that he began feeling some soreness in his left elbow shortly afterwards. Although an elbow injury is a pitcher's worst nightmare, Johnson did not require Tommy John surgery and has been throwing normally during spring training. It is hard to imagine Johnson getting the call to replace Rodriguez though, he has not pitched in a regular season game since July 21 against the Houston Astros.

Henry Owens by far got the bigger cup of tea last season, going 4-4 with a 4.57 ERA in 11 starts over 63 innings of work. He even looked dominating at times, holding the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals to one earned run over eight innings in a 7-1 Red Sox victory on Augusta 21.  The real glaring issues for Owens are his lack of velocity, but more importantly his control. He walks far too many batters (24 walks to 50 strikeouts in 2015) for a pitcher that lacks dominating speed and will need to correct that right off to have any MLB future ahead of him.

The choice that would make the most sense given the current circumstances would be one of the most underrated arms on the roster, knuckleballer Steven Wright. Wright went 5-4 with a 4.09 era in 16 games last season (9 starts) before being sidelined on August 11th with a concussion. He appears to be back to his usual self this spring, however, posting a 2.57 ERA over seven innings of work. One major benefit to Wright is his ability to both start and relieve, which would make for a seamless transition to the bullpen upon Rodriguez's return.

The most important thing to remember is that Rodriguez's injury is not serious and whatever solution the Red Sox find will only need to be a temporary one. It has been rumored that the Red Sox did not want Rodriguez throwing a full slate of 200+ innings this season regardless, so his may wind up as a blessing in disguise as E-Rod can now save those innings for the important games down the stretch.

Will Henry Owens Ever Gain the Control He Needs to Pitch in the Majors?

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

By: Tom Joyce

With Eduardo Rodriguez’ health in question, another young lefty has made his way onto the forefront of everyone’s minds: Henry Owens.

The tall lefty, who hails from Huntington Beach, could be in line for a spot in the Red Sox’ Opening Day rotation. But will he ever truly live up to the hype?

Sure, he might be a highly-regarded young arm, but a quick glance indicates there is not a ton to like about him.

For such a big guy, he lacks an overpowering fastball and his command is certainly an issue. Last season, he was “effectively wild” and it helped him to a 4-4 record with a 4.57 ERA in 11 major league starts. He had his moments (0.64 ERA in wins) but at other times, he was lit up (10.31 ERA in losses).

Today was not one of his prouder days as he allowed four runs in 2.2 innings against the Miami Marlins, taking home the loss.

Yes, Spring Training stats can be moot. By that same token, however, he walked four batters in less than three innings. No matter what time of the year it is, that is never a good sign.

Even with his inconsistencies, Rodriguez outshined Owens last season as he was lights out during all of his night starts once he stopped tipping his pitches.

Also, consider Brian Johnson another left-handed starting pitching option for Boston this season. He was injured before he made his major league debut and in the start, he aggravated the injury. Had he not suffered an injury in triple-A in the first place, it is safe to assume he would have been in Owens’ position last season. After all, Johnson made his big league debut on July 21 and Owens made his on August 4 -- because Johnson was not available.

Two inches shorter than Owens at 6-foot-4, Johnson packs a mid-90’s fast

ball and command over all of his pitches. He might not have the same ceiling as Owens being two years older than him.

There is a reason why the Red Sox didn’t trade Joe Kelly to open up a spot for Owens this season. If he opens the season in triple-A Pawtucket, he will truly be there on assignment -- working on his command and his newly developed slider, something he started throwing last season. If he starts the season in the majors, it would most likely only be out of necessity. 

Keep in mind, however, the Red Sox could start knuckleballer Steven Wright if they are looking to keep their minor leaguers in player development.

Will David Murphy, Carlos Marmol and Anthony Varvaro Opt-Out?

(Source: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

By: Thomas Joyce

It's easy to become caught up in all the depth the Boston Red Sox possess at this time of year but unfortunately Red Sox fans, they might not be able to retain all of it.

Three veterans who come to mind are right-handed relievers Anthony Varvaro and Carlos Marmol and outfielder David Murphy. All three have an opt-out date or two in their contracts so while they may look to be huge assets on the depth chart right now, there is a chance that they do not stay with the organization. Of course, they would really only likely do that if it gave them a guaranteed shot at the big leagues.

Accoring to MassLive.com, Murphy has a March 27 opt-out date and another in June if he stays with the organization. He hit .283 with 10 home runs and a .739 OPS in 132 games at the big league level last season with most of his work coming against right-handed pitching. 

Certainly, he'd make a nice platoon option and it was puzzling that he was available when the Sox signed him on February 29. If he does not make the big league club, he should be the least likely to stay in the organization because while he has regressed a little, he can hit righties and he would come cheap. 

And for what it's worth, he has four hits in nine at-bats this spring.

If he cracks the Red Sox big league roster, he is set to earn a base salary of just $2 million.

Both Varvaro and Marmol have at least one opt-out date right before the start of the regular season. Varvaro said he had another at some point (but did not disclose) while Marmol said he was unsure.

Varvaro, who cracked the Red Sox Opening Day roster last season, was told that if he had a great spring he would be up with the big league club in no time. That just hasn't been the case for the 31-year-old Staten Island native as he battles back from surgery on a torn flexor tendon. So far this spring, he has allowed four runs in four outings (in 3.1 innings).

Spring Training stats really don't matter too much. But Varvaro's would make if tough for any big league club to want him. If he stays in the Red Sox organization, his reverse splits and ability to shut down left-handed hitters could come in handy. After all, left-handed specialist Tommy Layne is out of options. so he is also a DFA candidate.

Keep in mind: from 2013-2015, lefties hit just .192 off Varvaro in 2014 at-bats. Righties, on the other hand, hit .280 off of him.

Marmol did not pitch in the majors last season. But he did post a 2.03 ERA in 28 triple-A outings last season. He also struck out 48 batters in 31 innings. Now, if that's any indication, then he is probably capable of pitching in the majors again at some point.

He hasn't been seen much so far this spring because of visa issues. He has everything straightened out now and took advantage of his first opportunity, striking out the side in the fifth inning of yesterday's game.

That late start to Marmol's spring could actually work in the Red Sox' favor because now, he does not have as much time and as much of an opportunity to prove himself to other big league clubs.

Carson Smith has not pitched since March 6 so if he is actually injured, then Marmol, the former Cubs closer, could be a candidate to take that spot.

Marmol's biggest problem is that like Varvaro, he is not on the 40-man roster.

For what it's worth, SoxProspects.com projects that he will opt-out.