Former Red Sox Prospect Stepping Up For Division Rival

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The age-old adage is especially true when it comes to relief pitching.

While one team may not be able to unlock an arm’s potential, another team may be able to make a small tweak and turn a below-average arm into a high-leverage weapon.

It’s too soon the call the Tampa Bay Rays’ latest addition a high-leverage arm, but former Red Sox prospect Connor Seabold has found a home in the Tampa bullpen.

Seabold has made three appearances for the Rays and allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings. On Thursday, he pitched three shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles, surrendering just one hit and striking out three.

Both the Red Sox and Colorado Rockies tried and failed to get the most out of Seabold. In 108 2/3 innings between 2021 and 2023, Seabold registered an 8.12 ERA.

The Rays’ pitching lab made two major changes that have seemingly helped the righty. First, they dropped his release point significantly. While he previously threw from a more over-the-top angle, he’s now dropping down and throwing from a low three-quarter slot. This created a flatter attack angle for his four-seamer and has created additional swings and misses, despite pedestrian velocity.

They also tweaked his breaking pitch. While it’s still currently classified as a slider, the shape is closer to that of a cutter. Seabold is throwing the pitch in the zone frequently, which should help limit his walk rate.

It’s only a few innings, but quality innings are important. Even if Seabold just serves in a long-relief, janitor-type role, the Rays will be happy with their return on investment.