Former Tampa Bay Rays Pitcher Finds New Home with AL East Rival

Criswell has appeared in parts of three big league seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and Rays. He's made 12 career appearances and owns a 5.97 ERA. He threw in 10 games for Tampa Bay in 2023, going 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA.

The Red Sox are taking a flier on Criswell, who could be part of an intriguing bullpen mix for manager Alex Cora. Under new Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow, the Sox have picked up multiple pitchers that they deem interesting. They earlier picked up Isiah Campbell from the Seattle Mariners. In addition, the Sox are expected to be active in the starting pitcher market, which could force guys like Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock and/or Kutter Crawford into the bullpen, making that group even more tight and competitive.

The Red Sox finished last in the American League East in 2023 and haven't made the playoffs since the 2021 season. They last won the World Series in 2018 when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers.

It will be interesting to see how Breslow attacks the market from this point forward, given that the team has so many needs heading into 2024.