On the surface, Brandon Workman's appearance in the Red Sox' 11-5 drubbing of the Phillies seemed like nothing more than a little insult to injury sent Philadelphia's way.
Remember the guy you gave up a legitimate major league starting pitcher (Nick Pivetta) and promising minor-leaguer (Connor Seabold) for? He's pitching for us now. And he just closed out your latest loss.
But storyline aside -- (although it was deliciously ironic that Workman finished off the team that traded for him 11 months ago) -- there was very real importance involving Workman's ninth inning.
It seems like he might have crept pretty close to that 2019 version of himself.
This time the result was a perfect ninth, striking out both Alec Bohm and Travis Jankowski before inducing a game-ending weak grounder off the bat of Jean Segura.
All that has become good regarding the former closer was put on display in Workman's nine pitches (7 of which were strikes). The devastating curveball, a cutter that no hitter has still managed a hit against since the pitcher's return, and a fastball that is now sitting at a robust 92 mph.
It has been just more than a month since Workman's reemergence with the Red Sox, with the righty allowing one single run in his 12 1/3 innings, letting just one of his seven inherited runners to score.
And now he's striking guys out with stuff that seems to be getting better and better, notching a pair of punchouts in each of his last two outings.
For a team that seemed to be searching for one more high-leverage bullpen arm, it's a significant development heading toward July 31.