The Boston Red Sox signed Austin Adams earlier this season, giving them their first former Athletics relief pitcher, and this week they also agreed to a minor-league deal with left-hander Sean Newcomb. The deal comes with an invite to spring training.
Newcomb has been around. Originally selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft, going at No. 15 overall. A little over a year later he was part of the package that landed shortstop Andrelton Simmons with the Angels, and Newcomb in Atlanta with the Braves.
He’d stick with Atlanta for awhile, making his MLB debut in 2017, and winning a World Series with the club in 2021, but was DFA’d in April of 2022 and picked up by the Chicago Cubs. He’d elect free agency at the end of that season, and ended up signing with the San Francisco Giants, who would then trade him to the Oakland A’s in August of 2023.
Newcomb started his A’s career off extremely well at the end of August, not allowing a hit in his first 4 2/3 innings with the club, spanning three appearances. That streak was broken in September when he allowed one hit to the Angels and also gave up his first run in the process. He then proceeded to toss another 6 1/3 scoreless innings in two appearances–one start–while giving up just two hits total along with two walks and seven strikeouts.
It was looking like he could become a weapon for the A’s as they continued their rebuild, but in his next outing, he gave up five hits and four earned runs across just three innings, walking three and striking out two. The team would place the southpaw on the IL with a sprained left knee and he would miss the rest of the season.
Last offseason he ended up having surgery on both of his knees, which kept him out until June 4 of the 2024 campaign. He’d make it into just seven games, totaling 10 innings and a 6.30 ERA out of the bullpen before the Athletics decided to DFA him.
In one of his last outings with the team, he also made a bit of history.
With two outs in the top of the eighth, Newcomb entered the game with runners on the corners and the A’s trailing Minnesota 5-4. He threw two pitches, then ended up picking off the runner at first. The A’s would come back and win the game, and Newcomb, who hadn’t technically faced a batter for his one out of work, was credited with the win. He became the first player in Athletics history to be credited with a win without facing a batter.
The Red Sox have five bullpen arms signed to minor-league deals, including former A’s teammate Austin Adams, and all five have invitations to camp next month. Newcomb is the only left-hander of the bunch, which could give him an inside track for a roster spot, depending on how Alex Cora wants to build his roster.
Before the knee injury, Newcomb was looking like a solid contributor for the green and gold. Now, with more time since the surgeries, we’ll see if he can recapture some of what he had back in 2023.
