PT TOMORROW: AL East — Otta-matic for the people? A closer look at BOS bullpen

Boston Red Sox

Ever since the Red Sox acquired Adam Ottavino (RHP, BOS) in the rare trade with their fiercest AL East rival, there has been considerable debate over whether Ottavino would be tapped as the Red Sox new closer. Let’s sift through a few of the tea leaves.

First, returning manager Alex Cora recently made a comment about the dangers of “using your best one against their best one, night in and night out.”

He then specifically mentioned Matt Barnes (RHP, BOS), who in 2019 “had a great start, but then he faced the elite of the elite for like two weeks in a row, and we paid the price.”

While Cora emphasized that he does feel like Barnes is capable of repeatedly facing the heart of an opponent’s lineup, he added, “it’s not what I...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From PT Tomorrow

Jesús Sánchez (pictured) and Nathan Lukes are jockeying for at-bats in left field for Toronto. Plus, more fallout from the first weekend of action in 2026.
Mar 31 2026 3:05am
This week's NL West column answers the lineup questions we posed at the beginning of spring training.
Mar 28 2026 3:05am
Opportunities abound for young interesting players in the National League Central.
Mar 27 2026 3:05am
Following up on our spring training questions, including what happens to the rest of the lineup if Kevin McGonigle makes it onto the Tigers' roster?
Mar 26 2026 3:08am
Before spring training began, we asked about each team's playing time. Here are the answers for the AL West as spring training comes to an end.
Mar 25 2026 3:05am

Tools