The Red Sox have had fairly a little bit of success with Japanese pitchers over time, however their time with Hirokazu Sawamura got here to an finish on Sunday.
Sawamura was granted his launch from the membership and have become a free agent.
He had been up and down with the large league membership this yr, struggling to keep away from arduous contact, regardless of throwing one of many hardest splitters in MLB during the last two years. It was an excellent pitch when it was thrown in the best location, however Sawamura struggled to throw strikes and was too usually taken deep to be thought-about a dependable bullpen possibility.
He was designated for task and cleared waivers, however after one look with Triple-A Worcester, he requested his launch so he may pursue different alternatives, based on MassLive.com.
Sawamura was signed as a 33-year-old out of Japan previous to the 2021 season. He acquired a $1.2 million wage in ‘21 and ‘22, making him a cut price signing after he had posted a 2.82 ERA over 10 years enjoying professionally in Japan.
He was used usually in strikeout conditions final yr, as his splitter generated sufficient whiffs to make helpful. But his strikeout price fell from 10.4 strikeouts per 9 innings to 7.1 this yr.
Through two seasons in Boston, Sawamura completed with a 3.39 ERA and 1.44 WHIP to go together with 101 strikeouts and 59 walks in 103 2/3 innings.
Lefty Austin Davis, who was designated for task on the identical day as Sawamura final week, was additionally granted his free company on Sunday. He was claimed by the Twins however shortly waived by Minnesota.
Big day for Pham
Left fielder Tommy Pham had an eventful day on Sunday.
He returned from a shin harm and made a spectacular catch whereas working into the wall in the course of the Sox’ 1-0 win over the Orioles.
He additionally scored the one run of the sport after a leadoff single, finally coming round to attain on a sacrifice fly by Xander Bogaerts.
Pham, 34, has seemed like an important pickup because the Sox added him on the commerce deadline, nevertheless it was too little, too late.
He’s scored 25 runs in 35 video games whereas hitting .270 and working because the leadoff man since becoming a member of the Sox.
Interviewed on NESN after the sport, Pham stated he was disillusioned in himself for not getting on base as usually as he’d like, however the Sox will likely be determined for outfielders subsequent yr and may need to try Pham as a fourth or fifth outfielder.
Pham additionally made an fascinating comment about Camden Yards, which moved the left-field wall again by 26 1/2 ft.
“It’s not normal because when you’re running that far back it feels like you’re running for days,” he informed NESN. “We saw a lot of different balls hit at 106 mph, 107 mph, with a specific launch angle that aren’t going out of the park. This park is different now.”
Odds and ends
Rafael Devers made a sensational diving cease to rob Ryan McKenna of an RBI single within the seventh inning. Rougned Odor reached on a hit-by-pitch and superior to second on a balk by Matt Strahm, however Devers was enjoying in on the filth and dove to his left to stop the ball from getting behind him and Odor from scoring the tying run…
Matt Barnes recorded the save within the ninth and has seemed like a brand new pitcher since coming back from the injured record on Aug. 4. He has a 2.45 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings in that point, although his common fastball velocity stays 95 mph, down from earlier years…
The Red Sox have scored 55 runs in 10 video games in September, second-most in MLB in that point, although 17 of these runs got here on Saturday evening.
Source: www.bostonherald.com