The latest closer to enter into the Red Sox’s radar is, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, Armando Benitez. The 34-year-old reliever is scheduled to make $7.6 million this season, and is thought to be expendable because of the emergence of Londonderry, N.H. native Brian Wilson.
The Chronicle reported of Benitez’s first outing, Sunday:
Benitez, who was behind other relievers because of the tendinitis in both knees and a bout with the flu, twice threw to minor-leaguers before pitching Sunday. He worked the fifth inning and threw 17 pitches, retiring three of four Seattle batters. Willie Bloomquist flied out, Jeremy Reed grounded out, Jose Vidro singled and Raul Ibañez struck out on a high, full-count fastball that was clocked at 94 mph.
Mostly, scouts clocked Benitez in the high 80s and low 90s, a sign that he still has a good ways to go. Several of Benitez’s pitches were high and away, and one scout noticed his lower half didn’t seem totally right. Hamstring surgery in 2005 and an arthritic right knee in 2006 cut short Benitez’s only seasons in San Francisco.
Benitez said he expects to be available on Opening Day, no matter where he is.
This isn’t anything that appears to be imminent, but it does show the Red Sox continue to keep options open. The good news for the Sox is that the Giants appears to be willing to foot some of the bill when it comes to the reliever. The bad? Benitez’s arthritic knees and his declining swing-and-miss ratio.
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