Red Sox reinstate veteran lefty from injured list

The Red Sox have announced they have reinstated left-hander Richard Bleier from the injured list with Jake Faria designated for assignment in a corresponding move. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported the moves prior to the official announcement.

Faria, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox this offseason and has twice now been added to the club’s roster, getting designated for assignment the very next day in both instances. The first time was back in April, with Faria getting the DFA treatment without making an appearance. He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment before eventually returning to the big league club on Sunday.

The Sox were trouncing the Cubs in Sunday’s contest, holding an 11-0 lead in the middle of the eighth when they put Faria into the game for mop-up duty. He did eventually record the final six outs, though he allowed five earned runs on four hits and four walks, throwing 65 pitches in the process. Since he’s out of options, the Sox have designated him for assignment again in order to get a fresh arm into their bullpen.

The Sox will now have a week to trade Faria or pass him through waivers. He’s been previously outrighted in his career and thus has the right to reject another such assignment in favor of electing free agency. The last time this scenario played out in April, he cleared waivers and decided to stick with the Sox. It’s possible the same sequence of events plays out in the coming days, though that remains to be seen.

Bleier, 36, came over to the Sox in the offseason trade that sent Matt Barnes to the Marlins. He tossed 20 innings with a 5.85 ERA before landing on the injured list in May due to shoulder inflammation. The Sox have a $3.75M club option for Bleier’s services in 2024 with a $250K buyout. He’ll have to finish strong for the club to consider triggering that option.