Veteran Pitcher Elects Free Agency After Stellar Red Sox Cameo
Jose De Leon only made one start for the Boston Red Sox this year, but he made the most of it.
The 33-year-old righty, who spent most of the season at Triple-A Worcester, was called up to start the Red Sox’s regular season finale at Fenway Park. It was his first Major League start since 2023.
De Leon dominated the Detroit Tigers, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. He threw 69 of his 101 pitches for strikes, saving Boston’s bullpen for the playoffs and pitching the team to a 4-3 victory.
It was encouraging to see De Leon end the season on a high note after struggling all year at Triple-A, where he went 0-9 with a 6.93 ERA in 75 1/3 innings as organizational depth.
After the season, he was designated for assignment and cleared waivers. The Red Sox assigned him to Triple-A on Oct. 16, but he elected Minor League free agency on Oct. 20.
That allows him to sign a Minor League deal with any team. Given Boston’s crowded pitching depth, there wasn’t much of a path for De Leon to return to the Majors with the Red Sox.
He’ll try to catch on elsewhere, as another team may be willing to give him a chance based on his impressive season-ending performance. In 35 career MLB appearances over parts of seven seasons, he’s 5-2 with a 7.13 ERA in 72 innings.
Regardless of where he ends up this winter, Boston fans will always remember his stellar Red Sox cameo.