10:17pm: Kendrick’s contract comes with a $1MM base salary and multiple opt-out dates, according to Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald (Twitter link).
4:20pm: The Red Sox announced that they’ve signed veteran right-hander Kyle Kendrick to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.
Kendrick, 32, was a fixture on the Phillies’ pitching staff from 2007-14, totaling 1138 2/3 innings of 4.42 ERA ball with 4.9 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 46.1 percent ground-ball rate. Upon reaching free agency for the first time, the durable innings eater inked a one-year deal with the Rockies that proved to be ill-fated. In 142 1/3 innings with Colorado that year, Kendrick was rocked for a 6.32 ERA. Unsurprisingly, he struggled more at home in Coors Field (7.62 ERA) than on the road (5.24).
Kendrick signed a minor league deal with the Braves last offseason but was cut loose late in camp and ultimately latched on with the Angels in late April. He went on to spend most of the season with the Halos’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake, tossing 93 1/3 innings with a 4.72 ERA, 6.5 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. While Kendrick is a long shot to crack the Opening Day roster, he could head to the minors and serve as a depth option that can surface and make spot starts and long relief appearances as needed. (Boston deployed fellow right-hander Sean O’Sullivan in that role last season.)