FORT MYERS, Fla. — Given the tall task of picking a team in MLB The Show while in college at Michigan in the mid-2000s, Zach Putnam would always play as the Red Sox. Now, the right-hander could find himself contributing to the real Red Sox bullpen at some point this season.
Putnam, whose all-time favorite players include Manny Ramirez and Josh Beckett, has always had a soft spot for the Red Sox. After being drafted by the Indians and spending time in the majors with the Rockies, Cubs and White Sox, he finally got his chance to join his dream organization in December, when he signed a minor-league deal.
Red Sox sign Zach Putnam to minor-league deal
“I’ve always kind of been a closet Boston fan,” Putnam said, joking that it was a faux pas to root for the Red Sox while with other organizations. “Honestly, it’s been a dream of mine to play here and the fact that there was mutual interest when the time came to start looking at teams was music to my ears.”
Putnam was one of the White Sox’s best relievers from 2014 to 2016, using his splitter and cutter to post a 2.82 ERA and 9.6 K/9 rate in that span. He then started having elbow trouble, having a bone fragment removed midway through the 2016 campaign and undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2017.
Putnam made his last appearance for the White Sox on Apr. 22, 2017 and was non-tendered by the team five months later. He spent the next year rehabbing as a free agent, frequently watching baseball on television and fine-tuning his lackluster golf game. Though the process was a long and arduous one, the 31-year-old came out of it feeling as good as new.
“I feel good,” Putnam said. “I’d like to say I’m 100 percent. I think I’m right where I should be, obviously after taking a couple years off. Getting into some game action, kind of getting back into rounding into form, so to speak.”
The bullpen has been the biggest question mark all winter for the Red Sox, who saw Joe Kelly sign with the Dodgers and have not engaged with Craig Kimbrel about a potential reunion. Though Putnam’s chances of making the team increased when the team decided not to add a reliever on a major-league deal, he still found himself rooting for the Sox to make a big bullpen splash.
“I want any team that I’m potentially going to be a part of to be the best team it could possibly be,” Putnam said. “If that meant re-signing (Craig) Kimbrel or adding a piece like (Adam) Ottavino, I’m all for that. What I need to do is focus on going out and winning a job. That shouldn’t depend on anyone else that’s here. Like I said, for the strength of the bullpen, I hope they can sign all the guys who could help. I hope I can be one of those guys, too.”
Putnam, one of a handful of veteran relievers in camp on minor-league deals, is not trying to outperform his teammates in hopes of being a surprise addition to the Opening Day bullpen. Instead, he’s focused on trying to maintain his health and regain the form that made him a successful reliever before his elbow injuries.
Putnam’s deal with the Red Sox does not include any opt-outs before the end of spring training, meaning he could follow the path of Ryan Brasier’s 2018 season by putting up strong early numbers in Pawtucket and joining the major-league team for the stretch run. Finally healthy after a long road to recovery, Putnam is thankful to get a chance with a team he has always admired.
“I’m focused on me right now. I’m happy to be back in the game and happy to be healthy,” Putnam said. “I’m happy to be back on the field everyday. It was tough for a year. It was the first year since I’ve started playing baseball that I missed a whole summer. It was really tough. Everyday is kind of a blessing here.”
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