FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox manager Alex Cora compared new Red Sox reliever Greg Weissert to former Red Sox reliever John Schreiber.
“He’s very similar to John as far as stuff,” manager Alex Cora said Friday at JetBlue Park. “Good slider. Good fastball. We’ve just gotta make sure we throw strikes with the stuff but he’s really good.”
Weissert, a 29-year-old righty, was one of three pitchers the Red Sox acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Verdugo trade in December. Boston traded Schreiber to the Royals for pitching prospect David Sandlin in February.
Like Schreiber, Weissert throws from a low three-quarter arm slot and uses a slider as his best secondary pitch. Weissert’s sinker — which averaged 94.1 mph last season — and slider are his two most frequently used pitches.
“Just sink ‘em and slide ‘em,” Weissert told MassLive last month about what he likes to do. “Mostly sliders.”
Weissert has enjoyed a strong spring training. He has allowed one run, three hits and two walks while striking out seven in 5 ⅔ innings over six relief outings.
Cora was asked Friday if Weissert— who has minor league options remaining and could begin the year at Triple-A Worcester — might fill a role in the seventh inning.
“He’s part of the conversation,” Cora said. “We still have to make decisions based on what we’re going to do with the rotation, who’s going to the bullpen and all that. But he’s obviously right now in the mix.”
Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck, Josh Winckowski and Cooper Criswell are all competing for the final two starting rotation spots. Whoever doesn’t win one of those rotation spots could be moved to the bullpen. So that might affect whether Weissert makes the Opening Day roster or what type of relief role he is used in if he makes the club.
Cora said tough roster decisions are coming and he could see a scenario where a pitcher competing for the final two starting rotation spots might be optioned to Worcester to begin the season there as a starter instead of making Boston’s 26-man roster as a reliever. That way, he will remain stretched out as a starter.
About The Author
Leave a Reply