FORT MYERS, Florida. The Red Sox are on the cusp of a significant expansion of their left-hander team, and sources tell MLB.com that the club has reached deals with free agents Jake Dickman and Matt Strum.
Both deals are pending and have not been announced by the club.
Dickman, a 35-year veteran, played 67 games for Oakland last season, posting a 3.86 ERA. It was roughly even against left-handers (0.716 OPS) and right-handers (0.711 OPS).
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo first reported that the Sox and Dickman had come to terms on a multi-year deal.
In 529 career games, Diekman has a 3.73 ERA. His career splits are also nearly identical.
The 30-year-old Strahm’s contract is for one year, FanSided’s Robert Murray first revealed.
Strahm underwent surgery to repair a patellar tendon in his right knee in October 2020, which limited him to just six appearances for the Padres last season.
In 20, Strahm was an important pitcher for a San Diego team that made the playoffs with a 2.61 ERA in 19 games.
Strahm spent the first two years of his career with the Royals and the last four years with the Padres, posting a 3.81 ERA in 157 games, 25 of which started.
Strahm, a late bloomer, was selected in the 21st round by the Royals in 2012 after filing at Neosho County (Kansas) Community College. Interestingly, Dickman was also a late-round pick, having been selected by the Phillies in the 30th round in 2007 from Cloud County Community College, Kansas.
The Red Sox suddenly have a crowded left-hander supply team in spring training that also includes Josh Taylor, Austin Davis and Darwinzon Hernandez.
This could allow baseball chief Chaim Bloom to get rid of one or two left-handers to meet the club’s other needs.
The Sox are known to be looking for the right bat and possibly some more help from the right side.