"Justin Slaten held batters to a .171/.233/.232 batting line in the first half of the season. While he only struck out 16 in 23.1 innings, batters just weren't able to do much. One home run and two doubles comprised the only extra based hits he allowed. And while he did walk seven batters, his overall performance, mostly, encouraging. But he didn't quite claim the mantle of Trusted Reliever he looked to be earning in the 2024 season."
"After a solid start to the season, Slaten would hit the IL and miss all of June and July and the vast majority of August, returning on the 29th of that month. And it wasn't pretty. Batters hit .295/.340/.455 against himin late August and September, when the Red Sox really, truly, needed some help. However after giving up 12 hits in the first 5.1 innings back from the IL he did allow just 1 hit over the final 5."
"While possibly not his best game, of which the selection is limited, his moment of sorts came in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. With the Red Sox down 4-0 he came in and tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. And they weren't cheap innings: Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Ben Rice, and Amed Rosario. That's the heart of the order."
Rumors suggest the Red Sox could pursue a 2026 starter, sign Pete Alonso, or build a super bullpen around Aroldis Chapman and Garrett Whitlock. Chapman and Whitlock occupy the top bullpen roles but depth questions remain about role allocation in a crowded relief corps. Justin Slaten posted a .171/.233/.232 batting line in the season's first half, allowing only one home run and two doubles while walking seven and striking out 16 in 23.1 innings. An IL stint caused Slaten to miss June, July, and most of August, and his late-season numbers slipped to .295/.340/.455 against him. After returning he allowed 12 hits in 5.1 innings but then yielded just one hit over his final five innings. Slaten delivered 1.1 scoreless innings in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against elite hitters, demonstrating potential as a reliable bullpen piece for 2026.
Read at Over the Monster
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