The Red Sox and left-handed pitcher Lucas Luetge have reached an agreement, as per Luetge’s announcement on Instagram. Although specific terms were not disclosed, it’s presumed to be a minor league contract with an invitation to the big-league spring training camp.
Luetge, who will turn 37 next month, entered the MLB scene in 2012 with the Mariners. He had a solid rookie season with a 3.98 ERA and 4.03 FIP, striking out 21.3% of batters and inducing ground balls at a rate of 46.9%. However, his performance was hindered by control issues, walking 13.5% of batters faced.
Over the following three seasons, Luetge moved between Triple-A and the majors for the Mariners, maintaining a 4.66 ERA and 4.47 FIP in the majors and a 4.21 ERA in the minors. He became a free agent in 2015 and returned to the majors in 2021 with the Yankees, where he experienced the peak of his career, boasting a 2.71 ERA and 2.92 FIP across two seasons.
However, his time with the Yankees ended unexpectedly when he was designated for assignment in the 2022-23 offseason. Traded to the Braves, he struggled initially and was demoted to Triple-A before briefly returning to the majors later in the season. Despite a decent performance, he was outrighted from the roster in September and chose free agency in October.
Now, Luetge joins the Red Sox, aiming to secure a spot in their bullpen. With only one left-handed relief option currently projected for the major league bullpen, Luetge will compete with other non-roster southpaws in spring training. If he can replicate his success from his time with the Yankees, it could significantly bolster the Red Sox bullpen, which ranked 16th in the majors with a 4.18 ERA last season.
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