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Red Sox Reliever Making Every Major League Appearance Count

Two years ago, Brennan Bernardino was a 30-year-old who had spent the last eight years fighting his way through the independent and minor leagues. Until 2022, he had pitched in just 35 Triple-A games. But two years later, Bernardino is making his name known in the Boston Red Sox bullpen. Although it may have taken a while, the left-hander is proving that he belongs. And Brennan Bernardino continues to make every major league appearance count. 

The Road To The Show For Brennan Bernardino

Bernardino was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 24th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. During his last year at California State University, Dominguez Hills, he pitched to a 1.59 ERA in over 62 innings. Bernardino continued that in his first shot at Rookie ball, posting just a 1.01 ERA in nearly 27 innings. Things were looking up for the California native. In just his second MiLB season, Bernardino reached Triple-A in Louisville. But in two appearances, he didn’t impress and was sent back down.

By 2018, Bernardino had thrown his last pitch in the Reds organization. He bounced around the Mexican League to start 2019 and, after 33 appearances, was purchased by the then-Cleveland Indians. But he again hit a wall, pitching under 12 innings in the system before the 2020 season was canceled. He again left MiLB and returned to Mexico, pitching across two seasons in the league. 

After impressing yet again, the Seattle Mariners jumped in, purchasing his contract on June 25, 2022. He dominated in just over 11 innings at the Triple-A level. And on July 30, 2022, the Mariners selected his contract. Eight years after getting drafted, Brennan Bernardino was finally a major leaguer.

Bernardino Makes His Way To Boston

Bernardino appeared in just two games for the Mariners. He pitched to an 0-1 record and a 3.86 ERA. He bounced between Triple-A and MLB to end the 2022 season. On April 12, 2023, the organization designated him for assignment. Seattle was the third team to give up on Bernardino. They would be the last to do so. 

The Red Sox claimed Bernardino off waivers just four days after he was DFA’ed. He was assigned to Triple-A Worcester and quickly was called up by Boston on April 24, 2023. He played consistently for the Red Sox, pitching nearly 51 innings. Bernardino appeared in 55 games, had a 3.20 ERA, and struck out 58 batters. Not bad for someone who waited nine years for their first extended MLB opportunity.

To start the 2024 season, Bernardino didn’t make the Red Sox’s Opening Day roster. He threw just twice for Worcester, allowing three runs. On April 9, Boston decided to recall Bernardino from Triple-A. Since then, he’s survived multiple teammates being sent down. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Brennan Bernardino Making Every Major League Appearance Count

Brennan Bernardino has blossomed into Boston’s most dependable reliever. In 20 appearances and 23 innings of work, he has given up runs on just three occasions. Bernardino claimed his first loss of the year on April 15 when he surrendered a run in an inning against Cleveland. Since then, he’s given up just two total earned runs and won two contests. As of May 29, Bernardino has a 0.78 ERA and 23 strikeouts. 

Possibly Bernardino’s biggest complement to the current Red Sox bullpen is his ability to mitigate danger. Relievers are regularly brought in to put out the fire with runners on base or in scoring position. Lately, Bernardino hasn’t had trouble in these spots. In fact, he’s been utterly dominant with men on second or third. While facing his last 33 batters with runners in scoring position, none have gotten a hit, five have reached base, and one has scored. Pretty impressive for someone who didn’t even start the year at the MLB level. 

Bernardino Comes Up Big

Bernardino’s best appearance of the year was his most recent. During an 8-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday, he entered the matchup with two men on and nobody out in a one-run contest. Bernardino walked his first batter, loading the bases. But three hitters later, the inning was over and the score was the same. Two strikeouts and a groundout prevented any Baltimore baserunner from touching home plate. If that wasn’t enough, Bernardino returned for the seventh inning and retired the side. 

Brennan Bernardino has basically been reliable in every single outing this season. The 32-year-old has a 1.4 WAR, which is already more than his total in 2023. His ERA+, which measures how well a pitcher plays compared to his competitors, is at a staggering 538. Last year, it was nearly 400 points lower. That’s a stark difference for a reliever who performs best under pressure. Bernardino didn’t rise through the ranks quickly or make his name known until after his 30th birthday. But none of that matters anymore. With the Boston Red Sox, at the highest level, Brennan Bernardino is making every major league appearance count. 

 

Photo Credit: © Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Goldman

Zach Goldman

Zach Goldman is a graduate of Syracuse University, where he spent four years covering the college's sports. He has an obsession for all things baseball.

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