Red Sox Claim Speedster Tim Locastro Off Waivers From Yankees
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox made their first move of the offseason on Friday, adding some speed to the roster by claiming outfielder Tim Locastro off waivers from the New York Yankees.
One of the fastest players in baseball, the 29-year-old Locastro has stolen 31 bases and has only been caught three times over his career. He led the majors in sprint speed in both 2019 (30.8 feet per second) and 2020 (30.7), and tied for the lead in 2021 (30.7), according to Statcast. He was successful in each of his first 29 stolen base attempts, the longest known streak to begin a career in major league history.
He should give Boston some organizational depth in the outfield, with experience at all three outfield positions.
Originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2013, Locastro was traded to the Dodgers and made his major league debut with Los Angeles in 2017. He was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019 and played two-and-a-half seasons for them before being traded to the Yankees at the 2021 deadline. He played in just nine games for New York before his season came to an end after he suffered a knee injury against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in mid-July.
The righty has hit .231 (100-for-432) with five home runs and a .662 OPS over 209 Major League games. He has made 97 starts over his career.