BOSTON -- It comes at you with waves of heat, this Boston bullpen. And by the ninth inning, Craig Kimbrel is mixing his 98-mph fastball with a knuckle curve that ties hitters in knots.
The bullpen should once again be a strength for the Red Sox in 2018, as every key member is back except for free-agent right-hander Addison Reed.
Carson Smith should be there for a full season this time, now fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. Former starting pitcher Joe Kelly is now entrenched as a reliever, and he throws with triple-digit velocity at times.