Buddy Boshers

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

2008
R+:  5-0-0, 2.68 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 50.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Boshers got good results as a starter in advanced rookie ball, although he probably didn’t pitch as well as his ERA indicated.

2009
R+:  2-1-0, 2.55 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 24.2 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 8.4 K/9
A:  3-1-0, 5.97 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 31.2 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 7.7 K/9
AAA:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 1.1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

The Angels held Boshers back in extended spring training, then sent him to AAA to fill in briefly before sending him back to the Pioneer League.  He got almost exactly the same results in five starts there that he’d gotten the year before, except for modest improvements in his walk and K rates.  He finished his season with half a dozen starts in low class A, where he pitched better than his ERA indicates.

2010
A:  3-0-0, 4.31 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 77.1 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 8.7 K/9

Boshers returned to low A and spent most of the year pitching out of the bullpen.  The Angels moved him to the rotation, though, late in the year and he made seven starts.  he was much more effective as a starter, with a 1.13 WHIP and 3.40 ERA, compared to 1.57 and 5.26 as a reliever.  Overall, he had good walk and K rates, but opponents batted .270 against him.

2011
A+:  2-5-1, 4.30 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 75.1 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 7.3 K/9

The Angels sent Boshers to the hitting-happy California League, where he pitched in relief except for four starts.  He didn’t do well there, although his opponents’ line of 299/385/452 probably resulted in part from the tough environment for pitchers.

2012
A+:  4-2-1, 2.52 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 39.1 IP, 3.7 BB/9, 11.0 K/9
AA:  1-0-0, 3.75 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 24.0 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 10.1 K/9

Pitching strictly in relief, Boshers made a lot of progress back in the California League.  After 26 appearances there, he moved up to AA for another 19.  His K rate sharply increased at both levels and his control was much better than the previous year.

2013
AA:  3-2-1, 3.14 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 28.2 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 11.0 K/9
AAA:  1-0-1, 3.66 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 19.2 IP, 5.5 BB/9, 11.9 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 4.70 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 15.1 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 7.6 K/9

Boshers started the season in AA and pitched well apart from some control problems.  After a promotion to AAA he was less effective, with more serious control issues.  He did maintain a high K rate at both stops.  The Angels called Boshers up in August and he made 25 appearances through the end of the season.  He was used primarily as a lefty specialist, which accounts for the low innings total.  He faced left-handed hitters nearly twice as often as right-handed hitters.  Boshers’ callup probably had as much to do with the thin Angels’ system as with anything else.

2014
AA:  2-3-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 61.0 IP, 4.0 BB/9, 10.3 K/9
AAA:  1-0-0, 6.23 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 13.0 IP, 9.0 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

The Angels sent Boshers to AAA to open the season, but he struggled badly with the strike zone.  He was outrighted off the 40-man roster in early May and demoted to AA.  He served as a swing man there, making eight starts and 21 relief appearances.  He was much more effective there, although his walk rate remained on the high side.  Boshers became a minor league free agent after the season and signed with the Rockies.

2015
IND:  3-1-1, 1.00 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 54.0 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 11.8 K/9

Colorado released Boshers during spring training and he eventually caught on with Somerset of the independent Atlantic League.  He dominated as a reliever there.  After the season, Minnesota signed him to a minor league deal.

2016
AAA:  1-1-2, 1.04 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 26.0 IP, 3.8 BB/9, 10.0 K/9
MLB:  1-0-0, 4.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 35.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 7.2 K/9

Boshers pitched well in AAA, with improved control, and the Twins called him up in late May.  He spent most of the rest of the season with them, apart from a couple of brief return trips to AAA.  He also missed several weeks late in the season with left elbow inflammation.  In the majors, Boshers pitched reasonably well; he was hurt by a very low strand rate of 56.7%, which inflated his ERA.  His xFIP was much better at 3.38.

2017
AAA:  0-0-0, 3.68 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 14.2 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 9.2 K/9
MLB:  1-0-0, 4.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 35.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 7.2 K/9

Boshers shuttled back and forth several times between AAA and the majors, although he ultimately spent the majority of his time with the Twins.  His walk rate was much better in the majors than in AAA, but he was hampered in the minors by a very high BABIP of .366.  Minnesota designated Boshers for assignment after the season and Houston claimed him.

2018
AAA (Hou):  2-1-4, 3.18 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 51.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 9.7 K/9
AAA (Pgh):  0-1-1, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 10.5 K/9

Houston kept Boshers in AAA through the beginning of August.  He pitched well there without dominating.  He had very good walk and K rates, but his xFIP was only 3.64.  The Astros dfa’d Boshers in early August and the Pirates claimed him off waivers.  They assigned him to Indianapolis and he stayed there the rest of the season, except for a nine-day callup in which he didn’t pitch.  He saw only limited action with Indy.  On the season, he wasn’t as effective against left-handed batters as he’d been in the past, allowing them an OPS of .764.  He was better against right-handed batters, holding them to .644.  The Pirates did not call Boshers up for September.  Instead, they removed him from the 40-man roster to open up space.

Boshers will be a free agent after the season.