Red Sox re-sign Brasier, non-tender Locastro

The Red Sox avoided arbitration with one of their key relievers of the last few seasons, re-signing righty Ryan Brasier to a one-year, $1.4 million contract on Tuesday.

The deal was agreed upon with a couple of hours to spare before the deadline to tender contracts to all unsigned players.

The only player the Red Sox non-tendered was outfielder Tim Locastro, who was claimed off waivers from the Yankees earlier this month. A right-handed hitter, Locastro hit .190 in nine games for the Yankees last season.

The Sox will tender 2022 contracts to all 27 remaining unsigned players on their Major League roster.

The most notable player in that group is star third baseman Rafael Devers, who has two years of arbitration eligibility left.

It will be interesting to see if the Sox and Devers can make headway at some point this offseason on an extension.

Right fielder Hunter Renfroe, outfielder Alex Verdugo, righty starter Nick Pivetta, second baseman Christian Arroyo, lefty Josh Taylor and backup catcher Kevin Plawecki are Boston’s other arbitration-eligible players this winter. Plawecki came to an agreement on Wednesday with the Red Sox on a one-year deal for 2022 worth $2.25 million.

As for Brasier, he went from obscurity to prominence for Boston during the World Series-winning season of 2018, notching a 1.60 ERA in 34 games.

In 134 games for the Sox over the last four seasons, Brasier produced a 3.49 ERA to go along with 129 strikeouts in 126 1/3 innings.

Though his ’21 season was marred by a barrage of injuries that prevented him from taking the mound for the Sox until September, Brasier made up for lost time, posting a 1.50 ERA in 13 regular-season outings.

With the Red Sox fighting to get into the postseason in the final week of the regular season, Brasier pitched four straight days for the first time in his career and didn’t give up a run.

He was unscored on in five of seven appearances during a postseason in which Boston advanced to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series before getting knocked out by the Astros.

Boston’s current 40-man roster is at 37, and is as follows:

Pitchers (20): Matt Barnes, Eduard Bazardo, Brayan Bello, Ryan Brasier, Kutter Crawford, Austin Davis, Nathan Eovaldi, Jay Groome, Darwinzon Hernandez, Tanner Houck, Bryan Mata, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, Hirokazu Sawamura, Connor Seabold, Josh Taylor, Phillips Valdez, Michael Wacha, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski

Catchers (4): Ronaldo Hernández, Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez, Connor Wong

Infielders (7): Jonathan Araúz, Christian Arroyo, Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Jeter Downs, Hudson Potts

Outfielders (5): Jarren Duran, J.D. Martinez, Hunter Renfroe, Jeisson Rosario, Alex Verdugo

Infielder/outfielders (1): Kiké Hernández