Let’s preface this by acknowledging that it’s still early and the Boston Red Sox have plenty of time to sort out this mess. Yet with the bullpen being the only glaring weakness for the defending champs, it’s discouraging to see how poorly their relief options have performed this spring.
With Craig Kimbrel stranded in free agent purgatory, the Red Sox will need to anoint a new closer. The relievers returning from last year’s roster are unproven in the role or bogged down by enormous questions marks regarding their health or performance. Choosing a closer will have a trickle-down effect that may alter the roles of everyone else.