Hot Stove Lunch: Minor moves could pay off for Red Sox

Managers and general managers are fond of saying that you don't win with just your 25-man roster. Over the course of a long, six-month season, injuries strike and bodies wear down and reinforcements are needed.

That's why it's vital for organizations to build depth, especially when it comes to pitching. The Red Sox have made two signings this week that highlight that realization.

The Sox are said to be close to signing starting pitcher Erasmo Ramirez and agreed to a one-year deal with reliever Zach Putnam.

Both will get minor league deals and invitations to major league camp.

Ramirez has been a versatile pitcher for both the Rays and Mariners, making 92 starts and 100 relief appearances over the last seven seasons with a 4.36 ERA. At 28, he had a poor season this past year (6.50 ERA in 10 starts), but that was something of an outlier. Just a year earlier, he had a 3.92 ERA.

As for Putnam, whose signing was first reported by MassLive.com, he's recovering from Tommy John surgery in June of 2017 and his readiness at the start of the season could be uncertain. But he could contribute later and has a track record of being an effective reliever, and could be an inexpensive bullpen option for the Sox.

His best season came in 2014 with the White Sox when he posted a 1.98 ERA in 49 games.

Neither Ramirez nor Putnam are stars. But they could provide important depth over 2019, with Ramirez giving the Sox with rotation options behind Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez while Putnam could be someone who helps out in the late innings.

Elsewhere...

AL EAST

Joel Sherman says the Yankees need to think long and hard before signing Manny Machado.

Now the hard work begins for the new-look Orioles.

The Rays seem resigned to the fact that they'll be staying in St. Pete.

Bringing back Curtis Granderson makes sense for the Jays.

AL CENTRAL

The Minnesota Twins didn't take long to retire Joe Mauer's number.

Nick Hundley makes some sense for the Tigers.

Where would the White Sox get money for a big free agent signing? Their new TV deal, of course.

If nothing else, the Kansas City Royals will have plenty of speed in 2019.

AL WEST

Maybe the Astros aren't out on J.T. Realmuto after all.

The Angels got a one-year deal with Matt Harvey

Was signing Lance Lynn just the beginning for the Rangers?

What could the Mariners expect to get if they made Mitch Haniger available?

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

New Mets GM Brody van Wagenen maintains his team is the favorite in the NL East.

HOT TAKE I MIGHT SOON REGRET

Penny Marshall, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 75, was mostly known as a comedienne and star of Laverne and Shirley, a hit sitcom from the 1970s and 1980s.

But she also became an A-list director with a series of films in the 1980s and 1990s, including her tribute to women's pro baseball, A League of Their Own.

Marshall's humanity -- and love for sports -- was evident in the movie. The film included the memorable line: "There's no crying in baseball,'' and that's sadly fitting today as we remember Marshall.