Ty Buttrey

The Boston Red Sox selected Buttrey in the fourth round of the 2012 MLB draft out of Providence High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had posted a 9–2 record with a 0.91 earned run average and 100 strikeouts as a senior, averaging 13.04 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.[1] He signed for a signing bonus of $1,300,000, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball at the University of Arkansas.[2]

Following four games for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in 2012, Buttrey pitched his first full professional season in 2013 with Low-A Lowell Spinners of the New York–Penn League, where he went 4–3 with a 2.21 ERA in 13 games started. In addition, he struck out 35 batters, did not allow a home run in 61 innings and allowed over two earned runs just twice in his 13 starts.[1]

In 2014, Buttrey dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness, resulting in a 6.85 ERA with Class A Greenville Drive. He earned a promotion to High-A Lowell Spinners after a 1–0 record with a 2.45 ERA in four starts and 22 innings. He returned for Greenville to begin 2015 and was promoted to Class A Advanced Salem Red Sox during the midseason.

In his first seven starts at Salem, Buttrey went 5–0 with a 1.71 ERA in 42 innings, being unbeaten in his combined 11 starts between A and High-A in 2015. He finished with an 8–10 record in 21 starts for Salem and was a tough luck loser, as he pitched 14 quality starts, but in five of those 14 starts was charged with the loss. Overall, he went 9–10 with a 3.92 ERA in 25 starts for Greenville and Salem, including 103 strikeouts against 48 walks in 137⅔ innings.[1]

Buttrey was assigned to Double-A Portland Sea Dogs in 2016, where he struggled with his command and averaged 5.3 walks to 5.8 strikeouts per nine innings, ending with a 1–9 record and 4.50 ERA in 32 appearances (nine starts).[3] He opened 2017 at Portland and joined Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in the midseason. Overall, he went 2–5 with a 4.81 ERA and four saves in ​83 ²⁄₃ innings of relief duties, averaging 10.5 strikeouts per 9 innings.[1]

The Red Sox added Buttrey to their 40-man roster after the 2017 season.[4] He started the 2018 season with Triple-A Pawtucket, for whom he was 1–1 with one save and a 2.25 ERA as he struck out 64 batters in 44 innings, averaging 13.1 strikeouts per 9 innings.[5]

On July 31, 2018, the Red Sox traded Buttrey and pitcher Williams Jerez to the Los Angeles Angels for second baseman Ian Kinsler.[6] Buttrey made his MLB debut on August 16.[7] He finished 2018 with an 0–1 record, a 3.31 ERA, and 20 strikeouts in ​16 ¹⁄₃ innings.[8] The following season, he led the team in appearances with 72, recording a win loss record of 6–7. In 2020, Buttrey served as closer towards the tail end of the season, recording 5 saves and overall registering a career high 5.81 ERA in 27 games.