Burke

Badenhop

Tampa Bay acquired Badenhop this winter for catcher Jacob Jeffries. The 28-year-old groundball specialist will function as a middle reliever this year for the Rays.

Badenhop, 28, posted a 4.10 ERA and 51/24 K/BB ratio over 63 2/3 innings this past season. The ground ball specialist projects to make right around $1 million in his second year of arbitration and should fit nicely as a middle reliever for the Rays.

Badenhop had a 3.03 ERA with the Rays this past season and should fit nicely as a middle reliever for the Brewers. He earned $1.075 million in 2012 and is arbitration-eligible for the third time this winter. Mondesi, Jr. signed as a 17-year-old free agent in 2010 and has yet to advance beyond the rookie-league level.

Acquired over the winter from the Rays for OF Raul Mondesi, Jr., Badenhop hasn’t disappointed Milwaukee’s brass, boasting a 2.11 ERA and 0.94 WHIP over 24 appearances. Badenhop hasn’t given up an earned run in May, which has had a gastric bypass-type effect on his earned run average.

The ground ball specialist was in the third of four arbitration years as a Super 2 player. Badenhop posted a 3.03 ERA over 66 appearances for the Rays in 2012 and will work the middle innings in Milwaukee.

Badenhop looked impressive in April, but posted an awful 10.38 ERA over seven appearances in May. Hopefully some work in the minors will straighten him out.

Over the last two seasons, Badenhop has posted a 3.25 ERA and identical 42/12 K/BB ratios across 62 1/3 innings. The sinkerballer made $1.55 million in 2013 and is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter. He should make for a solid middle reliever in Boston.

The 30-year-old was acquired from the Brewers earlier in the offseason. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 62 1/3 innings of relief in 2013. He’ll be part of the Red Sox’ bullpen in the upcoming season.

Badenhop, who turns 34 in February, made three appearances with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate last season before being released. He owns a 3.74 ERA over 418 appearances in the majors, but he has apparently decided to call it a career. Badenhop is expected to do acquisition-based pitching analysis and sports science work in his new gig.

Rosenthal lists Koji Uehara, Andrew Miller, Burke Badenhop and Craig Breslow as potential targets. Uehara, Miller and Badenhop are all slated for free agency after the season, while Breslow has a $100,000 buyout attached to a $4 million club option for 2015.