*Photo from the San Francisco Examiner*
After signing lefty Matt Strahm, the Boston Red Sox made another move to shore up the bullpen. The Red Sox and LHP Jake Diekman have agreed to a two year, $8 million deal, with a team option for 2024, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The Red Sox have confirmed the signing.
Hitting the open market after declining his option with the Oakland Athletics, Diekman will earn $3.5 million in salary in the two guaranteed seasons of the deal, with the team option worth $4 million, with a $1 million buyout, thus guaranteeing Diekman the $8 million. He reported to Red Sox camp on Tuesday morning.
Last season with Oakland, Diekman finished with a 3-3 record with a 3.86 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, fanning 83 hitters while walking 34, throwing 60 2/3 innings across 67 relief appearances for the 3rd place Athletics, who have begun to tear things down this winter and start rebuilding.
In his 10 MLB seasons, split between 5 teams, Diekman has a 20-25 record with a 3.73 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, striking out 581 hitters while throwing 456 innings, totaling 529 relief appearances. In 13 playoff games, Diekman has a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings pitched, across 4 years in the playoffs.
One thing Diekman possesses is the ability to get anyone out. Opposing lefty hitters have a .711 OPS against him lifetime, while righties have a .716 OPS, so Diekman is fairly equal against hitters on either side of the plate. Last season, Diekman showed the ability to miss bats, recording a 31.7 strikeout rate, and a whiff rate in the 96th percentile.
Diekman agreeing to a contract is another lefty reliever in the mix, with the Red Sox already having Josh Taylor, Darwinzon Hernandez, Austin Davis, and Strahm in the mix as lefty relievers. Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, and Hirokazu Sawamura round out the guaranteed bullpen spots on the right handed side.
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