GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cam Booser had the ninth-inning assignment in Thursday’s Cactus League game against the Los Angeles Angels.
The left-hander got J.D. Davis and Kyren Paris to ground out. And when Jacob Burke caught David Mershon’s fly to center, Booser completed a 1-2-3 inning to wrap up a 2-1 victory for the Chicago White Sox.
“It’s always fun to get to close out a ballgame and be able to dap up the catcher after the game and high-five and go through the line,” Booser told the Tribune on Friday morning at Camelback Ranch. “It’s always a good time, I really enjoy that.”
Booser is in his first season with the Sox after being acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in December for minor-league right-hander Yhoiker Fajardo. Booser is one of the options as the White Sox construct their bullpen.
“I’ve never been on an opening-day roster,” Booser said. “I’m hoping that I get to make that experience and I’m just excited to get back to playing some baseball. It’s my favorite time of year.”
Booser followed Thursday’s outing with two-thirds scoreless innings Friday against the Cincinnati Reds at Goodyear Ballpark. Booser struck out both batters he faced.
This spring, Booser has allowed six hits, struck out nine and walked four in 7 1/3 scoreless innings.
“The stuff is really good, better than I expected to be honest,” manager Will Venable said before Friday’s game. “He’s an incredible athlete who takes care of himself. He has the right demeanor. Been really impressed with Cam.”
Booser, 32, went 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA, one save, six holds and 43 strikeouts in 43 relief appearances with the Red Sox last season, his first year in the majors. He made his big-league debut on April 19 in Pittsburgh. At 31 years, 351 days, Booser became the oldest Red Sox player to debut since Tommy Fine in 1947 (excluding those who previously competed in Japan).
Booser’s path included making 21 relief appearances for the independent Chicago Dogs in 2021.
Venable said Booser’s journey — which featured retiring in 2017 following parts of five seasons in the Minnesota Twins farm system and joining a Seattle-area carpenters union during a portion of that time away — “shows up in the way he takes care of himself and his preparation.”
“He doesn’t take this for granted and he is really making the most of his opportunity,” Venable said.
Penn Murfee is doing likewise after spending the 2024 season on the injured list as he continued his recovery after undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2023.
“Baseball is a journey and it was definitely long at times, but I was surrounded by really good people,” Murfee recently told the Tribune. “I’m very thankful that I had people around me to help me through that process, because I could not have done it by myself.”
Murfee has not allowed a run in his six relief outings this spring.
“Penn just seems very dependable, you know what you’re going to get, he competes, he’s in the zone and has great command and feel for his pitches,” Venable said.
He has nine strikeouts and no walks in six innings.
“The big thing is just getting in the strike zone and attacking,” Murfee said. “Being aggressive. I think that you just put yourself in the best position to have good outcomes if you are aggressive. And trying to get in the strike zone early on in counts.”
Murfee, 30, is 5-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 80 career appearances (one start) over two major-league seasons with the Seattle Mariners (2022-23). The Sox claimed the right-hander off waivers from the Houston Astros on Nov. 4.
As spring training winds down, the Sox are still in the process of determining all their relief arms.
“It’s going to come down to the wire to figure out how it all fits together,” Venable said.
Brandon Drury scratched
The infielder was scratched from Friday’s Cactus League lineup with a bruised left hand.
“It happened (Thursday) in practice,” Venable said. “Just precautionary, thinking he’ll be back in there tomorrow.”
Coming into Friday, Drury ranked first in the Cactus League with 10 extra-base hits and was tied for second with seven doubles. The nonroster invitee, who signed this offseason on a minor-league deal, is in the running for a spot on the 26-man roster.
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