McAdam: Red Sox, Yankees take opposite approaches to bullpen

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- They're division rivals. They each won 100 games a year ago. They each can boast of mammoth resources.

But the Red Sox and Yankees couldn't be more different when it comes to constructing their bullpens.

While the Red Sox have steadfastly stayed out of the deep end of the free agent reliever pool -- passing not only on re-signing Craig Kimbrel, but also, a half-dozen experienced candidates who could have replaced him at lesser money -- the Yankees have added to an area that was already strong.

To a group that already included Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances, the Yankees retained free agent lefty Zack Britton and also signed Adam Ottavino.

The rich, in other words, got richer.

Strictly from a financial standpoint, the Yankees will pay their four best relievers a combined $44.25 million. By way of comparison, the Sox four best (Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Heath Hembree and Steven Wright) just
$4.8 million, or, slightly more than one-tenth of the figure allocated by the Yankees.

Different strokes for different folks.

"Yeah,'' said Alex Cora, when the discrepancy was pointed out to him, "that's the beauty of our game. They do their things and they're successful and we did it our way and we're successful.''

When it comes to payroll priorities, the Red Sox have decided to invest more heavily in their starting rotation. Every starter but one (Eduardo Rodriguez) will make more than $15 million and two (Rick Porcello and David Price) will earn more than $20 million. Already strong in the starter department, they brought back Nathan Eovaldi and gave him $68 million for four years.

That money could have directed to Kimbrel or several established relievers. But at a time when bullpens are shouldering bigger workloads than ever before, the Sox put their money elsewhere.

"Our strength,'' said Cora, "is those five guys, the first six or seven innings, and they shorten up the game. I don't know how they're going to manage the game with their starters, but their strength is their bullpen. We saw it last year.''

Indeed, opposing teams had best be in the lead against the Yankees when the seventh inning rolls around, because manager Aaron Boone has a host of weapons to turn to late in games. Two are lefty, two are righty and all of them gets swings and misses.

And, they have experience. Combined, the New York quartet boasts 431 career saves; the Sox, meanwhile, have registered just three.

As the Grapefruit League schedule officially opened with a meeting between the rivals Saturday, the Yankees had an embarrassment of riches from which to choose, while the Red Sox are undecided about their closer plans less than five weeks before the regular season opener.

The Sox' position: there are enough quality arms in the system to cobble together a bullpen, especially when you consider that Brasier, seemingly out of nowhere, emerged to become a trusted, high-leverage weapon. Paying premium money for such an unpredictable position, especially for a team trying desperately to remain under the final luxury tax threshold, isn't the best use of resources.

Yankee manager Aaron Boone understands the path being taken by the Red Sox.

"I think bullpens can be one of those things that develop pretty fast organically,'' Boone said. "We'll see a lot of quality bullpens emerge if you have the right kind of arms. Sometimes, they're somewhat anonymous or burst on the scene quicker than other positions. In our case, the core of the guys we've built, not only do we feel are great but have the track record that follows. Sometimes, where a club is in terms of payroll flexibility, what's coming through (the system) ... there are so many things to go into making those evaluations and decisions.

"So, yeah, a little bit different, obviously. But we were able to have that flexibility to go add in some places and we feel (good about our bullpen).''

As he should. But it's worth noting that the Yankees have tried this tact -- assembling an All-Star cast of relievers -- and haven't won a pennant with the strategy. Chapman, Britton, Betances and David Robertson were in the bullpen last October when the Red Sox ousted the Yankees in four games in the Division Series.

In 2016, the Yanks had the triumvirate of Chapman, Andrew Miller and Betances, but it wasn't enough.

Maybe resumes are overrated. Or maybe, the Yankees' edge in experience will help make the difference in the AL East race and in the postseason, too.

Cora won't fret about the Yankees having the clear advantage on paper.

"I believe in whoever gets outs,'' he said, "and if they can maintain their stuff, they have a shot.''

For now, it's two teams with two different philosophies.