Addison Reed was a big name target at the July 2017 trade deadline, and the veteran reliever was no less sought after this offseason. The big righty, who recently made a playoff run with the Boston Red Sox, has signed a two-year contract with the Minnesota Twins. The deal is reportedly worth $17 million over its term.
Free-agent reliever Addison Reed in agreement with #MNTwins on two-year deal for slightly under $17M, sources tell The Athletic. Pending a physical.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 13, 2018
Addison Reed Signs with Minnesota Twins
Reed, 28, has spent parts of his career with the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Mets, and the Red Sox. He first appeared in the Major Leagues with the White Sox in 2011, and pitched for the South Siders through the 2013 season.
After a down year in 2014 with the Dbacks and a disappointing first half in 2015, he was traded to New York. With the Mets, Reed’s career finally took off. He made 17 appearances for the Metropolitans that year, and notched 17 strikeouts and six holds. His 1.17 ERA attested to his comfort in his new home, and that carried over into 2016.
In his first full season as a Met, Reed recorded the best numbers of his career. He pitched 77.2 innings, struck out 91 opponents, and worked 40 holds. His ERA rose slightly to 1.97, but his WHIP fell to a career-low of 0.94. By the end of the season, he had established himself as one of baseball’s top setup men.
The 2017 season wasn’t kind to the Mets, and they found themselves sellers by the end of July. The Red Sox, in need of an arm to bolster and over-worked pitching staff, went after and acquired Reed. In the first half, before the trade, he’d recorded 48 strikeouts in 49 innings, and had 19 saves on his line. He stumbled in his first couple outings with Boston, but for the most part was fantastic. Those few lackluster appearances inflated his ERA, but his 0.94 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 27 innings more accurately represent the body of his work.
Reed is a talented, savvy veteran with a a knack for getting punchouts. He would be an integral part of any bullpen, and figures to once again be a key contributor in 2018.
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