The Boston Red Sox and left-handed pitcher Lucas Luetge have reached an agreement, as indicated in a post on Luetge’s Instagram page. Although Luetge did not disclose the specific terms of the deal, it is likely a minor league contract with an invitation to participate in Major League Spring Training.
Luetge, who will turn 37 next month, made his Major League Baseball debut in 2012 while playing for the Mariners. In his rookie season, the southpaw performed reasonably well, recording an ERA of approximately 3.98 and a FIP of 4.03.
He struck out 21.3% of the batters he faced and induced ground balls at a rate of 46.9%. Despite these solid peripheral statistics, Luetge’s performance was hindered by control issues, as he walked a relatively high percentage of batters, standing at 13.5% during his first year in the majors.
After his initial stint with the Mariners, Luetge spent the next three seasons bouncing between Triple-A and the majors. During this period, he recorded a 4.66 ERA and a 4.47 FIP in 48 major league appearances. However, he fared slightly better in the minors, posting a 4.21 ERA over 94 appearances before being outrighted to the minors in late 2015.
Following his outright assignment, Luetge opted for free agency. Despite this, he did not return to the majors until 2021, when he signed with the New York Yankees as a member of their bullpen.
During his time with the Yankees, Luetge experienced the most successful seasons of his career, recording a 2.71 ERA and a 2.92 FIP across 129 2/3 innings of work spanning the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Notably, he struck out 25% of batters faced while walking just 5.8% during this period, impressive statistics that earned him numerous high-leverage opportunities with the team.
However, Luetge’s tenure in New York came to an unexpected end during the 2022-23 offseason when the Yankees designated him for assignment in order to make room for Tommy Kahnle on the 40-man roster.
Following his stint with the Yankees, Luetge was traded to the Braves. He began the 2023 season in the Braves’ bullpen but struggled, allowing eleven runs in 9 2/3 innings over his first nine outings. As a result, he was demoted to Triple-A for the remainder of the season.
Luetge returned to the major league club after the All-Star break and performed well, pitching four scoreless innings across three appearances. However, the Braves decided not to retain him on the 40-man roster heading into the offseason. Consequently, Luetge was outrighted off the roster in late September and became a free agent the following month.
Now, Luetge returns to the AL East in search of his next opportunity in the big leagues. The Red Sox currently have only one left-handed relief option expected to join their major league bullpen, Brennan Bernardino. Luetge is likely to compete with fellow non-roster left-handers Jorge Benitez and Cam Booser for a spot in the club’s bullpen during spring training.
They will join Bernardino and Joe Jacques, both of whom are already on the club’s 40-man roster. If Luetge can replicate the form he displayed during his time with the Yankees, it would greatly benefit the Boston club. Last year, the Red Sox bullpen posted a 4.18 ERA, ranking just 16th in the majors.
