Red Sox's Guerrero overcame struggles with pitching, mental health on road back to Majors

ST. PETERSBURG – Towering Red Sox righty reliever Tyron Guerrero’s lengthy absence from the Major Leagues – not his idea, by the way – included struggles with his pitches, his mechanics and his mental health.

Standing at 6-foot-8 on the mound at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Guerrero put an exclamation point on his return by blowing a 102.8 mph sinker by Spencer Jones.

It has been a long journey for the 35-year-old Guerrero, who made his Major League debut with one appearance for the Padres in 2016, then totaled 112 outings for the Marlins in 2018-19 and didn’t make it back to the highest level of baseball until May 22, when the Red Sox selected his contract from Triple-A Worcester.

Where did he go in between? Here, there and everywhere. Several Minor League affiliates. Not to mention stints in Mexico and Japan.

There were a lot of moments through the journey when Guerrero wondered if it was worth it, particularly after a really rough outing for Triple-A Louisville in 2023, the season in which he had an 11.51 ERA in 20 outings. That day, things got really dark.

“In 2023 when I was with the Reds, I think it was the worst year that I’ve had in baseball,” said Guerrero, who is from Colombia. “There were a lot of things going through my mind, and there was one night that I was about to do something that I can’t say right now. But there were so many times during my career, [I thought] just to quit, but I just had my family on my side [to] give me the power to keep going.”

It is a lesson for anyone going through a rough time in any career field. Giving up is the easy option. Fighting for what you want is hard, but ultimately rewarding.

And now, Guerrero is reaping those rewards. After shaking off some rust when he gave up two runs in both his second and third appearances with Boston, Guerrero has locked in by producing scoreless outings his last five times to the mound.

He admits there were many moments he didn’t think moments like this would be possible.

“It was really hard for me, because at the time that I was out of the Major Leagues, I passed through so many things, but at the same time, every morning just waking up with the intent just to keep going," Guerrero said. "I mean, my family really helped me in this process, and now I’ve gotten back with a different mindset, a different pitcher, with more experience.

“When I was playing in Japan and Mexico, and in the Minor Leagues for a while, all the time out there, it gave me more time just to understand the game, how to pitch out here and attack the strike zone every time that I need to go out there. And like I said, the confidence that they have given to me here has been really good for me.”

For Guerrero, it is all about throwing strikes.

“The thing coming in, based on his past, which was a while ago, his last stint up in the big leagues, was like, 'Will he throw enough strikes?' I’ve said it a lot,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. “All he did in Spring Training all the way through the Minor League season], he just kept throwing strikes. And you’re like, 'Is he gonna keep staying in the zone like that?' And he did it in Worcester, and he's doing it here, but when he's in and around the zone, which he has been for the better part of two-plus months now since Spring Training, and he's throwing 103 miles an hour, it's hard to hit.”

With Garrett Whitlock activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, the Red Sox have perhaps their most potent leverage crew of the season. Guerrero and Justin Slaten join Whitlock on the crew that will try to form the bridge to dominant closer Aroldis Chapman.

As for Sunday’s performance at Yankee Stadium – his first appearance in the Bronx since April 17, 2018 – that was a thrill for Guerrero.

“Oh man, it was great to be back there. I had the opportunity to play there when I was with the Marlins in ‘18 and just to be able to go back with this team, with the rivalry, Yankees-Boston, it was feeling so great, and I was there and enjoying every time, every moment that I was there,” said Guerrero.

How about the 103 mph reading on the scoreboard radar gun?

“I didn't know that I threw that pitch that hard. I just realized when I saw the scoreboard out there, I'm like, ‘Oh, 103.’”

The journey back was not nearly as fast. But now that he’s back, Guerrero plans to celebrate each day with as many high-octane strikes as he can to mark a surreal comeback story.