The Boston Red Sox have made one of their most surprising offseason moves yet, officially bringing back veteran left-hander Drew Pomeranz in a reunion designed to stabilize a bullpen that quietly became one of the team’s biggest concerns. While most of the offseason headlines centered on front-line pitching upgrades and middle-order bats, Boston has now turned its attention to the part of the roster that needed reinforcement just as badly: the middle-to-late-inning relief group.
A Needed Answer for a Thin Bullpen
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made it clear early in the offseason that the club intended to pursue a high-end starter and a major offensive piece. Those moves remain in motion, but as Boston’s rotation and lineup improved, the bullpen’s lack of depth grew harder to ignore.
With Devin Williams signing with the Mets, Ryan Helsley joining the Orioles, and names like Raisel Iglesias and Emilio Pagán staying put with their respective teams, the available reliever market thinned quickly.
Enter Pomeranz — a familiar face and an unexpected solution.
Boston Reunites with a Trusted Lefty
Pomeranz, now 37, spent three seasons in Boston earlier in his career, evolving from a rotation arm into a capable bullpen contributor. After stepping away from the game for several seasons, he engineered a remarkable comeback in 2025 with the Chicago Cubs, posting:
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2.17 ERA
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1.067 WHIP
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57 strikeouts in 57 appearances
His resurgence caught the attention of the Red Sox front office, who saw in him both reliability and high-leverage potential — especially from the left side, a role Boston has struggled to fill consistently.
A Steadying Presence for Chapman and Whitlock
With Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock expected to shoulder heavy late-inning workloads, Boston needed another arm capable of bridging the gap. Pomeranz brings postseason experience, veteran presence, and the ability to handle pressure situations — all traits that can lighten the load on the rest of the bullpen.
Team insiders believe his return gives the pitching staff a much-needed stabilizer.
A Reunion That Makes More Sense Than Expected
What first appeared to be an under-the-radar option has now become a deliberate, strategic addition. Pomeranz offers exactly what the Red Sox have lacked:
a dependable left-handed reliever who can thrive in tight moments.
His return brings familiarity, stability, and renewed trust in the bullpen’s structure as Boston continues pursuing its broader offseason goals.
Boston’s move may not be the flashiest, but it’s one that could quietly pay massive dividends — and it signals that the Red Sox are addressing their needs from top to bottom.
