The Brewers have agreed to a minor league deal with right-hander Brad Boxberger, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel reports (via Twitter). Boxberger will receive an invitation to the team’s Major League Spring Training camp.
After signing a minors contract with the Marlins last winter, Boxberger posted a 3.00 ERA over 18 innings with Miami, plus 3 1/3 scoreless frames during the team’s playoff run. It was a nice bounce-back performance for Boxberger in terms of pure results after struggling in 2019 with the Royals, though there wasn’t much difference between the two seasons from an analytical perspective.
Boxberger’s 22.8K% and 10.1BB% were both below average and there weren’t a lot of positives within his Statcast numbers, with the exception of a fastball spin rate in the 90th percentile. For added pluses, Boxberger posted a career-best 51% grounder rate, and his fastball averaged 92.5mph for his highest velocity since 2015.
It was during that 2015 season that Boxberger achieved All-Star status for a 41-save season with the Rays, but he then battled some injuries and became something of a journeyman since Tampa traded him to the Diamondbacks in November 2017. Since Opening Day 2018, Boxberger has now been a member of six different organizations, counting Milwaukee. The right-hander will compete for a job in a Brewers bullpen that has plenty of talent but relatively little MLB experience, so Boxberger could add a veteran element to the mix.
Not Xabial
I don’t hate this at all
lilpartialbaldo
Fun little fact. Monte Harrison and Max Hall were actually high school teammates.
cubs2016
Little known fact. Nobody cares. Just like nobody cared in the previous article.
brewpackbuckbadg
FYI – Jimmy Carter was the first US president to be born in a hospital.
VonPurpleHayes
He was good in TRON.
Metsin777
Mets should of signed him, their relievers stink!
VonPurpleHayes
I think the Mets have a really good pen. I don’t know what you mean.
Luc 2
They have good arms on paper but I wouldn’t be confident. Lugo is gone, Diaz is still a ? and Familia and Betances are old now. May is the one guy I trust rn
Pauly2112
His work in Scarecrow and Mrs. King was impeccable. And quite the quality run in the majors to boot.
Impressive…
stevewpants
Granted the Brewers don’t have many, but could a top prospect and Hader get Rios from the Dodgers now or are they just gonna hold onto him until the NL gets the DH?
MasterCal
Are you, like on something? Or are you being sarcastic lol?
stevewpants
always
baumann
I think you have to add to Rios to get Hader, actually. But I like the gist of this.
stevewpants
if the dodgers were willing then I really think they should do it, Hader won’t be as unhittable as he is now forever and his value will never be higher with his contract going up and free agency approaching.
BrewCrewBacker
I don’t disagree.
afsooner02
Got that prospect part backwards there…..you mean Rios plus prospects
stevewpants
all the better then, i am probably guilty of undervaluing Hader but I really think the Brewers should cash him in for a quality hitter on the infield, they need the offense
mlb1225
Interesting he had that 41-save season in 2015. Wasn’t even that good and the Rays were pretty meh that season too.
Ji-Man Choi
Just a Rays thing to happen
BrewCrewBacker
But can he play 3rd?
ludafish
How did the Marlins not entertain him coming back? Seriously no reason to not try. He’s costing nothing. He pitched some important innings to getting to the winning season. Ridiculous.
dknight 2
I agree. There was never any mention of him during the postseason plans, except saying that he was a FA. He was great for us but they didn’t even think twice about bringing him back for another round like they did Kintzler.
I’ve been wondering the same thing all postseason.
Rsox
Best players day nickname jersey ever
geg42
I didn’t know you could have emojis
Ghost Pepper
Unless he does it this season.
It was cool in 18 for sure.
stubby66
Cmon just sign Franco already or trade for Anderson and Cooper or trade for Moran. I DON’T WANT SOGARD AGAIN!!!!!
stubby66
I would even be willing to have Danny Santana at third or just give Lucas Erceg a shot .
Rsox
Do NOT trade for Anderson Cooper…
Lloyd Emerson
Holy guacamole, this article was published nearly 4 hours ago and Rangers29 hasn’t had an opinion on it yet. Mark your calendars, folks.
nentwigs
GREAT NEWS FOR BRAD !!
If this baseball opportunity didn’t pan out, Brad had a fallback job in Fast Food lined up.
Boxberger was going to be a Burger Boxer !!
pdxbrewcrew
People who aren’t funny shouldn’t try.
BlueJaysMania
Decent move, no risk with some upside.
its_happening
Jays gave Phelps a guaranteed contract and Boxberger gets a minor league deal? Strange. I think Boxberger has something left in the tank. Good move by the Brew.