The release of Vladimir Gutierrez was announced by the Red Sox. Although he was designated for assignment and eventually removed from Boston’s 40-man roster earlier this month, the right-hander had been throwing at Triple-A Worcester since he was acquired from the Brewers last month.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73259115/usa_today_18438774.0.jpg)
Gutierrez had the choice to decline the assignment and choose free agency because he had been outrighted in the past in his career. At that moment, he made the decision to remain with the Sox, but the righty didn’t appear to be in the team’s plans, so he finds himself on the open market. With a 9.00 ERA across eight innings in Worcester, Gutierrez didn’t help his cause since in his five appearances, he gave up more walks (12) than strikeouts (8).
At this point, Gutierrez might decide to sign with his fourth different company in as many months. After signing a minor league contract with the Marlins in the summer, he has been designated for assignment three times, once by Miami, once by Milwaukee, and once by Boston. With a 6.75 ERA in four innings pitched for the Marlins before to being DFA’d and subsequently being claimed off waivers by the Brewers at the beginning of April, Gutierrez has seen some big league action this season.
With the exception of 6 1/3 minor league innings pitched in the Reds’ farm system, Gutierrez was not able to pitch in the major leagues during the 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. Those four innings marked his first time on a major league mound since 2022. When Gutierrez first joined the Show in 2021, he was a highly anticipated pitching prospect in Cincinnati’s minor league system. He recorded a 4.74 ERA in 114 innings and finished sixth in the race for NL Rookie of the Year. But in 2022, Gutierrez battled to a 7.61 ERA in 36 2/3 innings before the TJ operation ended his difficult year early. Home runs and control were bigger problems for him.
