EDGE HAMMER
TAMPA — With so many in the baseball galaxy trying to imagine what the Yankees would look like with the addition of freeagent studs Manny Machado or Bryce Harper, imagine if the Yankees and Red Sox were forced to swap late-game bullpens.
After finishing eight lengths back of the Red Sox and losing the ALDS in four games to their blood rivals last season, the Yankees made moves to maintain their top-level bullpen during the offseason by retaining lefty Zack Britton and adding right-hander Adam Ottavino to essentially replace David Robertson. The Red Sox rode Craig Kimbrel’s 42 saves in the regular season. Nathan Eovaldi and Joe Kelly were terrific in the postseason as the Red Sox won the World Series. Eovaldi re-signed with the Red Sox, but will return to the starting rotation. Kelly left the Red Sox for the Dodgers, who gave him a three-year deal de for $25 million.
Kimbrel, K who turned down a $17.9 million qualifying qu offer from the Red Sox, remains a free fre agent with spring-training camps in full swing. sw A return isn’t likely, which will leave the Red Sox looking to replace the seven-time All-Star Al from a trio of Matt Barnes, Tyler Thornburg Th and Ryan Brasier.
The T Yankees, who match up well with the Red Re Sox lineup and rotation — even if the Red Re Sox have the edge in each — counter with wi Aroldis Chapman in the closer’s role and have ample insurance in front of the gas-throwing lefty with Dellin Betances, Chad Green, Britton and Ottavino. All four arms are considerably better than whoever the Red Sox pick from its group of three.
“To me it’s not close. Even if [Boston] had Kimbrel, I would still take the Yankees,’’ an AL talent evaluator said of the gap between the Yankees’ and Red Sox’s bullpens. “If anybody says the Red Sox are better, they have been drinking.’’
Barnes has pitched in 231 major league games and has two saves. Brasier is searching for his first big-league save after 41 games. Thornburg, who missed all of 2017 and half of 2018 recovering from shoulder surgery, has 13 saves in 159 relief appearances.
“The gulf is wide. The Yankees’ bullpen is the best in the game,’’ a second scout said of the Yankees main quintet, who have a combined 432 saves. “They have four and five guys who can lock down a game from the sixth inning on. The Red Sox need help. Thornburg has been hurt and it will be hard to depend on him. The Yankees are a major league bullpen and the Red Sox are at a Double-A level as far as the gap.’’
The same scout predicted Red president Dave Dombrowski is going to address the need for bullpen upgrades.
“David has put on a good face, but I think he will be very busy this spring,’’ the scout said.
Beyond the live arms in his pen, Aaron Boone likes that some can fill more than one area.
“That versatility is what has me excited right now because they’re all a little bit different. Ottavino, kind of righty/righty matchup he brings. Green and Dellin, their ability to get lefties out. Obviously Chappy, Zack Britton healthy and the sinkerball he brings,’’ Boone said after the first official day of spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday. “We have a lot of different looks. Sinkers, four-seam at the top of the zone, Chap at the end. We have a lot of really good pitchers and the versatility that [Jonathan] Holder brings, but I think they complement each other really well, which is exciting to mme.’’
One area of concern could be Chapman’s left knee, which was invaded by tendinitis and landed him on the DL from Aug. 22 to Sept. 19.
“Obviously, that is something we’ll keep tabs on and really try to stay vigilant with it. If you follow him on Instagram, you could tell he was moving around pretty well this winter,’’ Boone said of Chapman, who can opt out of his contract following the season. “He is in really good condition as well. In talking to hhim about his knee, [I] think he’s excited with wwhere he’s at.’’