Red Sox bullpen lacks left-handed depth entering camp: Who's in the mix to compete this spring?

The Red Sox addressed a glaring weakness on the infield dirt over the last week, trading for Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler before officially announcing the signing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa. It was a flurry of activity that stabilized a position group that looked thin not long ago. In the outfield, Boston already boasts depth with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu. The starting rotation, too, is crowded with established arms and high-upside options.

But as camp opens, one area still feels unsettled: the bullpen — specifically from the left side.

Much like the infield picture before the recent additions, there are plenty of names to sift through. Boston entered camp with Aroldis Chapman, Jovani Morán, Patrick Sandoval, Payton Tolle, Tyler Samaniego, Alec Gamboa, T.J. Sikkema, and Jeremy Wu-Yelland among the left-handed options who could factor into the bullpen conversation. Of that group, Sandoval and Tolle are also competing for rotation spots. Only Chapman, Morán, Sandoval, Tolle, and Samaniego currently occupy 40-man roster spots.

Since the end of last season, the Red Sox have lost Justin Wilson (48 1/3 innings), who remains a free agent; Steven Matz (21 2/3 innings), who signed with the Rays; and traded Brennan Bernardino (51 2/3 innings) to Colorado and Chris Murphy (34 2/3 innings) to the White Sox. That’s a significant chunk of left-handed innings to replace—and proven innings at that.

Boston has options in camp; the issue is that they lack big league experience. 

Samaniego might be the most intriguing unknown. Acquired in the Johan Oviedo trade with Pittsburgh, the former 15th-round pick out of South Alabama has yet to pitch above Double-A. He reached that level in his first full professional season in 2022, but injuries stalled his climb. A back issue slowed him early, and an elbow injury in 2024 required an internal brace procedure that cost him the final two and a half months of the season.

He returned in mid-May 2025 and was dominant down the stretch for Double-A Altoona: a 3.08 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 30 strikeouts, and just six walks while holding opponents to a .189 average across 20 appearances (26 1/3 innings). Samaniego sits at 95–98 mph with his fastball and throws both a four-seamer and a two-seamer. His above-average extension gives his fastball extra life. 

Morán is out of minor league options; he must make the team or risk being moved. Injuries have limited him to just four major league innings over the last two seasons. He missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery and returned in 2025 to post a 3.58 ERA across 27 2/3 innings for Triple-A Worcester. He made two appearances for Boston, allowing three runs in four innings.

“Morán is a guy that is very intriguing because throughout his career he’s been able to get righties out, too,” Alex Cora said in December. “He’s actually pitching for Ramón (Vázquez) in Puerto Rico. We asked him to do a few things to get lefties out. Hopefully we can accomplish that.”

Morán wanted to pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic but was denied insurance coverage. Instead, he impressed in winter ball with Criollos de Caguas, posting a 0.82 ERA across 11 innings in 11 appearances. He works with a four-pitch mix—fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball—and if he resembles his pre-surgery form, he could quickly become a useful weapon for Cora.

Gamboa represents a different profile; signed as a minor league free agent in December, he split last year between Triple-A Oklahoma City in the Dodgers organization and Lotte in the KBO. In Oklahoma City, he posted a 4.19 ERA across 19 1/3 innings before being granted his release in May. In Korea, he transitioned to a starting role and made 19 starts, logging 108 innings with a 3.58 ERA and 117 strikeouts—good for 9.8 strikeouts per nine, his highest mark since rookie ball in 2019.

He has experience both starting and relieving, which could make him valuable depth. Whether that translates into meaningful big-league innings is another matter.

Wu-Yelland, who I would consider a true dark horse of all the current lefties in camp, may be the most electric arm of the non-roster group. The 2020 fourth-round pick touched 98 mph in 2025 while pitching for High-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. Across 25 outings (45 2/3 innings), he posted a 3.15 ERA, held hitters to a .201 average, and struck out 37.6 percent of opposing batters. Thirty-four of those innings came in Portland.

Encouragingly, his control improved as he advanced. He walked 16 batters last season — seven fewer than the year prior, despite similar usage. Staying healthy has been his biggest obstacle since being selected 118th overall out of Hawaii. Across 74 minor league games, Wu-Yelland owns a 4.19 ERA with seven saves. If he continues pounding the zone and remains on the field, his stock could rise quickly.

Sikkema, 27, split 2025 between Double-A and Triple-A in the Reds organization. Most of his workload came at Double-A, where he made 18 appearances (11 starts), going 6–3 with a 4.97 ERA across 63 1/3 innings. He also made five appearances (four starts) for Triple-A Louisville, posting a 3.47 ERA over 23 1/3 innings. He’s stretched out and versatile but profiles more as depth than a lock for leverage innings.

Then there’s Tolle, who enters camp competing for a spot on the 26-man roster. Whether that role comes in the rotation or out of the bullpen remains to be seen.

Like fellow lefty Connelly Early, Tolle rocketed through the system last season. His big-league debut at Fenway Park came against Paul Skenes and Pittsburgh, a moment that underscored how quickly he’d arrived. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound lefty averaged 96.7 mph on the 195 four-seamers he threw in his first taste of the majors. His velocity is real, and he plays well at the big league level; he just needs to have more consistency with his secondary pitches. 

“This offseason will be essential for him developmentally,” Craig Breslow said in December. “There is no secret he put on quite a bit of velocity last offseason, and there will be a focus on developing some of those secondaries.”

As a reliever, Tolle could likely succeed right now on pure stuff. If he doesn’t break camp as a starter, the organization would prefer to keep him stretched out in Worcester rather than shift him permanently to relief. Still, if Boston prioritizes immediate bullpen impact, he could slot in as a power lefty option.

Sandoval presents a similar dilemma. Exclusively a starter in the majors, he’s working back from Tommy John surgery and will throw live batting practice for the first time since June 2024. He’s competing for the No. 5 spot alongside Kutter Crawford, who is also healthy after missing last season.

“I think they’re both capable of being effective bullpen guys because they’ve been very effective major league starters,” Breslow said of Crawford and Sandoval. “It’s premature to label either as such.”

Sandoval, entering a season with a $12.75 million salary, is both a bullpen option and a potential trade candidate. His Grapefruit League outings will shape that decision. For now, he’s eager to get back on the mound and will face live hitters for the first time since 2024 on Friday at JetBlue Park.

“That’ll be the first time I face a batter since the injury,” Sandoval said to reporters on Tuesday at JetBlue Park. “I’m feeling really good. Just threw a bullpen today and it was a really big step forward for me. I’m feeling good. The plan is for me to roll into this as a normal player now and not just be the IL guy.

“I definitely want to be released from these shackles of rehab-land and back into real baseball activities, getting ready to pitch. I’m absolutely fired up to get some hitters in the box on Friday and really compete.”At the back end, Chapman remains the anchor. The veteran southpaw is coming off one of the best seasons of his career—an eighth All-Star nod after posting a 1.17 ERA in 67 appearances. He struck out 85, recorded a career-low 0.70 WHIP, and retired 50 consecutive hitters during a dominant two-month stretch. Boston rewarded him with a one-year, $13.3 million extension that includes a club option for 2027.

Breslow has maintained that the club feels "good" about its internal mix but continues to explore external opportunities.

“We continue to explore opportunities. We also feel good about the group we have,” he said. “Morán has been someone that has been highlighted. We brought in Tyler Samaniego and are excited to get a look at him. There’s also starting pitching depth, and we’ll figure out who, if anyone, might contribute out of the ‘pen from that group.”

The Dodgers recently designated left-hander Anthony Banda for assignment. According to reports, Boston hasn’t shown strong trade interest but could engage if he’s outright released. Free agent Danny Coulombe remains an obvious fit; the Sox have been in contact with him throughout the winter, though he would require a major league deal. Wilson is weighing retirement, but if he does play, he prefers to sign with a contender.

Other names that could make sense include former Orioles reliever Cionel Pérez and veterans Andrew Chafin, Jalen Beeks, Joe Mantiply, and T.J. McFarland.

The Red Sox should add another proven lefty—whether via free agency or trade. Tolle and Sandoval remain wild cards, particularly with Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez already occupying rotation spots from the left side. There’s competition everywhere, something Cora embraces.

But as camp opens, the bullpen still feels like the last unfinished chapter of an otherwise long and drawn out offseason.