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The Red Sox are looking to add pieces for not just another trip to the postseason, but a deep march into October under new manager Alex Cora.
Guaranteed Contracts
- David Price, SP: $157MM through 2022 (can opt out after 2018)
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B: $56MM through 2021
- Rick Porcello, SP: $42MM through 2019
- Rusney Castillo, OF: $35.5MM through 2020 (can opt out after 2019)
- Hanley Ramirez, 1B/DH: $22MM through 2018 ($22MM option for 2019 vests if Ramirez makes 497 plate appearances in 2018 and passes a physical after the season)
- Craig Kimbrel, RP: $13MM through 2018
- Chris Sale, SP: $12.5MM through 2018 ($15MM club option for 2019 with $1MM buyout)
Obligations To Former Players
- Pablo Sandoval, 3B: $41MM through 2019 (includes buyout of 2020 club option), minus prorated MLB minimum salaries earned by Sandoval in that span
Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Joe Kelly (5.029) – $3.6MM
- Drew Pomeranz (5.013) – $9.1MM
- Tyler Thornburg (4.057) – $2.1MM
- Brock Holt (4.052) – $2.0MM
- Xander Bogaerts (4.042) – $7.6MM
- Jackie Bradley Jr. (3.150) – $5.9MM
- Sandy Leon (3.149) – $2.1MM
- Steven Wright (3.089) – $1.2MM
- Mookie Betts (3.070) – $8.2MM
- Brandon Workman (3.036) – $900K
- Christian Vazquez (3.031) – $1.5MM
- Carson Smith (3.028) – $1.1MM
- Eduardo Rodriguez (2.130) – $2.7MM
- Non-tender candidates: Holt, Leon
Free Agents
- Addison Reed, Eduardo Nunez, Mitch Moreland, Chris Young, Rajai Davis, Doug Fister, Blaine Boyer, Fernando Abad, Robbie Ross, Josh Rutledge
Boston Red Sox offseason page | Boston Red Sox payroll information
John Farrell’s job security was a topic of speculation basically from the moment Dave Dombrowski was hired as the Red Sox president of baseball operations in August 2015. Despite division titles in each of the last two years, Boston’s early exits in the ALDS finally sealed Farrell’s fate, paving the way for Cora’s hiring. The former Astros bench coach is an intriguing hire, bringing both an appreciation for analytics and a wealth of in-game experience from his 11-year playing career. Cora only has one year of MLB coaching duty under his belt, though he received interest in past managerial openings even before his stint in Houston.
A fresh voice in the dugout may be what is required for a Red Sox team that, despite the AL East title, seemed to almost take a step backwards in 2017 thanks to an inconsistent offense and some ongoing injury problems that will extend into the 2018 season. Dombrowski’s first two offseasons in Boston largely consisted of a few blockbuster moves (i.e. the David Price signing, the trades for Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel) seen as final touch-type of acquisitions for a team that already has so much core talent in place. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sox make another headline-grabbing transaction to address weak spots on the roster.
Some type of infield depth would seem to be a need given that Dustin Pedroia will be out of action until at least late May or early June due to knee surgery. Some combination of Marco Hernandez, Deven Marrero, Tzu-Wei Lin, and (if he returns) Brock Holt could fill in until Pedroia is ready, though relying on internal options for a third of the season is risky, not to mention the fact that Pedroia may not be 100 percent when he does return.
A reunion with Eduardo Nunez could be an answer to this problem, as Nunez could play second base until Pedroia is back, and then shift into a utility role. Nunez is going to be in high demand this offseason with teams that could offer him everyday playing time, however, as Nunez doesn’t have much of a path to regular at-bats in Boston with Pedroia (eventually), Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Jackie Bradley Jr. all locked into regular duty around the diamond.
Of course, that assumes that the Sox wouldn’t trade from that core to address another need. Bradley has often been cited as the most expendable member of Boston’s starting outfield, and with Benintendi capable of shifting over to handle center field, Bradley could be dealt for a heavy-hitting first baseman or left fielder.
Power is a clear priority for the Red Sox this winter, coming off a year that saw Boston hit fewer homers than all but three other teams in baseball. A full season for Devers will help in this department, as will Betts and Bogaerts recovering from nagging thumb and wrist injuries, though the simplest solution might be to just add a big bopper in free agency or via trade.
Eric Hosmer or Carlos Santana will get some attention from the Red Sox this winter in the free agent first base market, plus possible trade candidates like Jose Abreu also figure to be on the radar. If the Sox don’t want to make quite that big a splash, Logan Morrison or Yonder Alonso stand out as second-tier options.
Since prospect Sam Travis is still in the picture and Hanley Ramirez could see more action at first after undergoing shoulder surgery, the Sox could look for a first baseman on a shorter-term deal, akin to their signing of Mitch Moreland last offseason. That said, Boston figures to be looking for more than a band-aid solution at first base. Ramirez may be close to being a full-time DH at this point in his career, and Travis only had a so-so 2017 after missing much of 2016 due to knee surgery.
One creative answer would be to sign Alex Avila — a left-handed hitting catcher who has some first base experience. Avila could then spell both Travis/Ramirez at first, and also Christian Vazquez behind the plate. Vazquez brings outstanding defense and he took a notable step forward at the plate in 2017, but is still a below-average hitter overall. Adding Avila into a timeshare situation at multiple positions would allow the Red Sox to boost their lineup while still retaining Vazquez as an important regular. Such a move would necessitate letting Sandy Leon go, though he regressed badly after his seeming breakout in the 2016 season.
If a Bradley trade scenario happens, that opens up left field and the possibility of J.D. Martinez in Boston. Martinez is the top free agent bat available this offseason and he has past ties to Dombrowski from their days together with the Tigers. The trade market also holds out some potential for adding power to the corner outfield, with Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates and Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins among the possibilities. It isn’t clear if Stanton would waive his no-trade protection to approve a deal to Boston, though the Red Sox are one of the few teams with the financial means to absorb the $295MM owed to Stanton through 2027. (There’s also a chance Boston’s hypothetical commitment wouldn’t last that long, as Stanton can opt out of his deal after the 2020 season.) A Stanton/Red Sox trade could also see the Marlins take on a big Sox salary or two in return to help offset Stanton’s cost — this could be a way for the Red Sox to get Rusney Castillo’s contract off the books, for instance — though Miami’s goal seems to be to shed as much salary as possible.
Dangling Bradley in a trade would not just clear space, of course. Trading a player of his ability wouldn’t be undertaken lightly, even if it was done to make way for a new star. The market would likely pay quite a bit for Bradley even after a down 2017 season, which might allow the Sox to recoup prospect assets and/or address other needs on the roster.
Adding another big salary would push the Sox back over the luxury tax threshold, though as Dombrowski bluntly stated to reporters, this doesn’t appear to be a big concern. Avoiding the tax might’ve been unavoidable anyway (as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe recently observed) given the team’s needs. This will have the effect of limiting what the Red Sox could potentially do next offseason when multiple superstars hit the free agent market, though it could be argued that the Sox now have the opportunity to more aggressively shop for talent this winter if other big-market teams are curbing their spending in preparation for next winter.
On the pitching side, the Sox bullpen was quietly a major strength for the team last year, and should continue to be a plus even if Addison Reed, Fernando Abad, and Blaine Boyer all leave in free agency. (The club has already parted ways with Robbie Ross after his injury-plagued year.) These departures could be filled from within if Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg are finally healthy, plus youngsters Austin Maddox or Williams Jerez could be ready for some steady big league exposure.
Dombrowski has made a point of trading for relievers in his first two offseasons in Boston, so a new bullpen arm may be more likely to come via the trade market than free agency. Then again, with the major exception of the Kimbrel deal, the Sox haven’t gotten much return on those reliever trades, so Dombrowski could switch tactics and look to the open market for upgrades. The precise approach may depend upon how Boston ends up addressing the primary needs discussed above. Expect a focus on southpaws, as the pen is short on proven left-handed relievers.
The rotation could potentially also be an area of need, depending on how some injury situations progress during the spring. David Price is hoping to be finally past the elbow problems limited him to just 74 2/3 IP last season, Steven Wright is returning from knee surgery that cost him almost all of 2017, and Eduardo Rodriguez will already be sidelined for until May or even June as he recovers from his own knee surgery. Assuming Price and Wright are both fully recovered, the Red Sox face a possible “good problem to have” starter surplus when Rodriguez gets back.
If more health uncertainty develops during the offseason or in Spring Training, however, the Sox will check in on veteran starters for depth. Unless a longer-term injury crops up, the team isn’t likely to pursue anything beyond innings-eating veteran options. Dombrowski mentioned last winter how he had a tough time attracting pitchers due to the number of other starting options already on Boston’s roster, and, barring a trade, the same is true of the 2018 staff.
There is no shortage of potential moves, big or small, that could fit for the Red Sox this offseason, and Dombrowski has certainly shown his willingness to make some bold transactions. It could be that Cora and a healthier lineup are the real “final pieces” the Sox need to challenge for a World Series next year, though it seems likely that one more star name will find his way to Fenway Park before Opening Day.
just out of curiosity, why would they non-tender Holt, he could play almost everywhere on the diamond
Was wondering the same thing
He’s not one of the old guard that Dave wants. Even though he has been injured you could say the same for other older players that Dave was ok with.
Prepare to clean the cupboards of young players. More oldies are coming than ’70s rock and roll.
He is not playing anywhere on the diamond most days, becasue Brock Holt has seen more injury than a lot of “Mash” units(64 games played & 140 AB in ’17)……that is the most likely reason, along with his .200 BA & .305 obp, he could possibly be DFA’d…..the best “ability” in a utility player is his “availability”……..
DD should trade Bradley and Vasquez wt 2 low level prospects for Marcell Ozuna!then sing Welington Castillo 2/18m !! Sing Carlos Santana 1b 3/50m and Cozart for 2b
Sorry not gonna get Santana that cheap.
That won’t be enough for Ozuna either,more like Cuch maybe…
Cuch?
Andrew McCutchen
Thx!!i be fine wt him 2
You think Santana gets more than 3/$50? After what EE got in the last off-season….I doubt he gets that much.
I agree, Santana does not have a difference making bat or glove. Anyone who signs him for more than what EE got last off-season would be making a big mistake.
I like Cuch better. I pronounced it in my head as cooch
Why trade Vasquez? Trade Swihart instead
Castillo is better then him!! Vasquez don’t hit for power!! de Leon and Castillo
Cause NOBODY wants Swihart!!!
Crazy to trade Vazquez. One of the best defensive catchers in the game, had a breakout year behind the plate, and is cost controlled for a few more years. Don’t sweat the homeruns, he hits well for a catcher. His value behind the plate far outweighs his lack of power
I read earlier this fall that the Red Sox number one priority was to trade for Austin Barnes. The WS showed that that was not going to happen. Everybody, at least those who don’t watch every game, seems to think that the Sox have a problem at catcher. That is simply not the case. Vasquez and Leon are more than just adequate, They are quite good at controlling the running game and, excellent framers.
Let’s not forget that, poor batting average aside, Holt suffered a concussion which can be a career adjuster if not a career ender.
BecAuse he sucks at baseball
Because he’s horrible
Getting a power hitter is the major need that seems to be most mentioned most but for as much as it gets mentioned this team did really need most of all is an 8th inning guy to bridge it to kimbrel.
The sky is not falling but definetely would be nice to make a few upgrades (hopefully not hosmer). I like the idea of trading Bradley to bring in a better hitter to the outfield (I feel benitendi is wasted @ Fenway). But a reliever should be most important.
Eduardo Nunez seems to be mentioned as a candidate for a lot of teams I kinda feel he might get expensive because of his versatility but someone like him will probably be acquired.
Price for the 8th
Three seasons would feel like eternity to Stanton. Doubt he drops the NTC to go there…
Not sure why but I have a lot less confidence in Dombrowski & Kennedy getting the Sox another WS title than I did Cherrington & Lucchino
As a big fan of Dave Dombrowski, I sort of agree with you……DD has not lit the world on fire since his arrival in Boston, but he does have a strong track record so you and I should probably not lose faith quite yet……..
Wait til he brings Miggy over. It will only cost 1-2 starters off the major league team plus two prospects. John Henry will be happy that Detroit pays half the fare. Everyone wins. Lol
DD did win the Chris Sale sweepstakes. He also extended Porcello with a relatively cheap deal, which has averaged out nicely by the one Cy Young sandwiched with two forgettable years. DD has put good players on the team that have made the playoffs during both of his years with the team. The only really big hit on his Boston resume is David Price, who hasn’t performed at the level they need to get over the hump and win a championship. This off-season will be the make or break point for his tenure. He can’t afford another Price caliber mistake and he’ll need to pull off another Chris Sale type haul in order to get this team over the hump.
I have consistently rated DD one of the best 5 GMs in MLB for quite a long time now…..I am just kind of hoping that he gets over the hump so that I don’t end up looking bad for my MLB knowledge so I guess I am personally invested in Dom to that extent…..
Hate to break it to you on the baseball knowledge front but Dombrowki won a WS title with the Marlins in 1997…ie “getting over the hump”.
DD didn’t extend porcello that was ben cherington’s doing.
Track record of trading away farm systems and signing ridiculous contracts and financially crippling teams? They brought Larussa in because DD is starting to scare them.
Trade Jackie Bradley. Heck of a glove, but clueless at the plate – frustrating. Looking forward to watching Christian Vazquez take another step forward next year, love watching CV play the game. Sox would do well to acquire Jose Abreu, I think Stanton only has eyes for the west coast.
Don’t quite know why you “love CV play the game” but agree that Stanton only has eyes for the west coast.
Who are the best 8th inning guys available via free agency?
Brandon Morrow is available as a free agent, although after seeing Dave Roberts burn out his arm this postseason I would caution teams looking to sign him……
Betances
The Yankees will send Betances to the Red Sox the day after the sun rises in the west for a second consecutive day,
The Red Sox will be just fine in the bullpen. Carson Smith looked pretty good late in the season and should only get better next year. He is really nasty when he is right and I’m very encouraged I think he gets his velo back next year and is nasty again 8th inning solved.
Hosmer seems like he would be a redundancy for this Redsox team. They have several players on the roster that can hit 20-25 homers, so he’s not really much of an improvement over what they already have. The J.D Martinez idea makes much more sense, as he better represents the ‘power bat’ that they need. Though I️ will admit that Hosmer might be an easier fit due to their hole at 1B.
If they sign JD then they blow past the salary cap and don’t reset for 2018.
They have already reset the luxury tax. They can and will exceed the cap this year, and will be hit with the minimum 20% penalty
They are already over the salary cap with 200 mil committed. Signing any big players and getting under would be a good trick that DD is clueless about. He spends until it’s too late.
I’m not really sure about your math they don’t have over 200 million committed it looks more like 183k 194k if you count Rusney. They went under the salary last year so it is reset.
Any big signing would not be smart for the Redsox. I think they should bring back Moreland and hope one of Travis and Ramirez work out.
This idiot knows that it’s been pointed out before he is just a clown yanks fan who pollutes the Red Sox discussion with absolute trash.
Price (with some salary), Bradley, Swihart, and Groome for Cutch and Cole
Hahahaha
Please Nuck!!!
Nobody is taking Price, period. That was Trader Dave’s dumb mistake and there’s no bail out.
Nobody’s taking Swihart, either. He can’t hit for power and has a bum ankle.
Don’t count out Swihart. Had a serious injury and major surgery that he is just now recovering from. Finally seems to be turning the corner in winter ball. Think he still has value in a trade package.
Absolutely no trade value but much real value to the Sox if he can regain his previous form.
Does any of you think that high-paid Cuban Rusney Castillo will get another chance with the Sox? He hit very well at Pawtucket and should at least be a servicable 4th outfielder who can play all 3 outfield positions. If things don’t work out there are plenty of outfielders available in July.
Rusney is serving a life sentence in Pawtucket for offering his services and the Red Sox overpaying for them. By keeping him out of Mass they avoid paying tax on the stupid contract. What a joke
I’m still more of a fan of moving Devers off 3rd and signing someone for that position, be it Moose or Nunez, and having Devers split time at 1st and as DH with Hanley.
I think they still need another impact bat even if they do get Moose and he produces like he did in 2017, but I’m not sure the Sox should pursue Martinez simply because it’s going to cost them a fortune and they seem to always be on the wrong side of large contracts.
They can sign him to some ridiculous contract and then banish Hanley to Pawtucket so that his contract is not counted against the team’s salary cap. That’s what happens when you complain that you can’t play 1B because your non throwing shoulder hurts.
Can’t do that because Hanley as a 5 yr. man can refuse and get paid all of his $$$ which count against the Lux Tax. That’s what happened with Panda. That’s why the NYY could not do that to ARod. Rusney and Craig had less then 5 yrs so they had to take the demotion or give up the $$$. Plus the new CBA closed that loop hole so that if a team does it now it counts against the Lux Tax.
I agree. If MLBTR’s est. of 6/150 for JD, 6/132 for Hos., are close to right then they make no sense with Hanley (to be replaced by Chavis) and Devers available as 1B/DH’s. Many scouts have doubted that either has the “D” to stick at 3B but both have the power to hit HR’s. Moose makes more sense even at 5/85 as an answer at 3B. They might get him cheaper with an opt out after 2 or three yrs. As long as Hanley is mainly playing 1B he shouldn’t get 497 plate apps. Brian Johnson, Brentz, Marrero and Swihart are out of options so it makes sense to try and trade Holt and Leon and fill out the roster with cheap options. If it doesn’t work they trade for a bat and/or hope Pedey comes back healthy for 450 AB’s.
The Sox should be better this year even if they do nothing. But that not going to happen, they need a right handed power bat- DJ Martinez. My only concern with them is the hiring of La Russa to over see Cora, this could be a bad deal for Cora. La Russa was a good manager, but a terrible GM . David Price is another problem with this team, I’m sure they are going to make sure he opts out next year.
How can the Sox make sure that Price opts out next year? It is solely Price’s decision. I sure as heck don’t see him walking away from 4 years and 127 million because there’s no way he’d be able to sign for that kind of money on the open market. Boston is stuck with Price’s contract, whether they like it or not.
If he wins the Cy Young next year there’s not a chance he’s opting out of that one.
opting out is the player’s decision only so David Price will likely not be going anywhere for a few years……..
maybe the Rsox should just go ahead and give him the Tommy John and get it over with?
One would think Hosmer or Santana are perfect for the Sox need at 1B, but neither is the prolific run producer they’re looking for. I’d first see what CWS wants for Abreu and then check in with JD Martinez’ agent to see if he’s open to playing 1B.
Have to admit I winced when I saw what’s left on Price’s contract. That’s painful especially when BOS has no idea what to expect out of him. Trying to imagine Sox having his and Stanton’s behemoth of a contract on the books for many years to come. Ouch.
What separates average teams from great teams are clutch players. Big Papi was one of the greatest clutch players ever and now we have a HUGE hole in our offense because he made others more clutch. We need to replace the clutch factor in the team to help guys like Betts, Benintendi and Bogaerts ride the wave of clutch play like they did with Papi. To me, Donaldson is both clutch and consistent. Last year allows us to get him cheaper than he deserves to go for. Move Devers to 1st/DH and put Donaldson in the 3 hole for the next 5 years. When healthy, he’s a monster. It seemed like he had more HRs in Sept than the Red Sox did. Power, excellent 3B, club house catalyst and clutch. DD could redeem his lack of moves by making a trade that moves JBJ, Hanley and Porcello to get Donaldson. Then our main problem will be a lefty dominated starting staff! Sale, Price, Pomerantz, Erod and Wright if he can make a comeback.
Really don’t need much…..set at C, 2B, SS, RF, LF and 1B if Devers moves over.
Christmas wish list is short:
1 – Donaldson to play 3B
2 = Power bat for LF like JD Martinez (oh yeah missed out on him!)
3 – Right Handed starting pitcher like Verlander (oh yeah missed out on him!)
If DD had done his job we could have had this list fulfilled and made a run at the World Series. Farrell didn’t deserve the hot seat, DD did and now should be on notice to fix the holes or be gone.
All that for one year of Donaldson…
As a Yankee fan I say go for it!!!
Lol
signing Hanley Ramirez was a big mistake……just a couple years ago he was a SS but now looks like he could play linebacker for the Bears…..The Rsox have an elite outfield, both offensively and defensively that I do not think they should touch…..
I think they should focus on acquiring a big bat to play 1B or DH…JD Martinez is a good hitter but the defensive dropoff from current to him will be EXTREME.
Trade package of Bradley, Travis, Swihart, and lower level prospect for Jose Abrue. Then sign JD to play left field.
Bradley is a good start but I do not think that anyone is that bullish on Swihart or Travis these days……I think a package headlined by Jackie Bradley and a top prospect gets you Abreu…..
Mlb fan I agree it would probably require a third team though based off of Bradley’s service time and the white Sox probably wanting players with more service time like prospects.
Trader Dave Dombrowski is a good dealmaker so the deal could get done, but Jackie Bradley is the type of two way player that many teams covet so be careful what you wish for…..
Myself, I do not really root for any specific team(military brat who moved constantly) but I really do enjoy watching high level MLB baseball and have enjoyed watching the Red Sox and many other teams for decades……..
I hate the fact that Dombrowski trades away all prospects. We had one of the best minor league systems, and went to one of the worst, why? Dumbrowski!
Don’t get Abreu!!! Save our prospects.
Sign cheaply, Matt .Adams, without loosing a prospect. and sign Santana. Yes, 3/50 or 4/68 will get it done for Carlos Santana, just because its a heavy 1B class this year. Sign JD Martinez, and trade JDJ for a good SP prospect or probably 2 prospects, a SP and lower level SP prospect.
Worst comes to worse, you don’t even have to sign Santana, but sign Nunez or someone versatile. Adams can alternate with Ramirez at 1B, and we have a good bench for DH, or sign a good DH alternative (Cozart, Nunez, M Reynolds, or someone that can play different positions.) Sign a SP like LYNN, not Cobb, since he is a big health risk, and we are good. Sign B. Morrow for the bullpen, and we are solid without blowing the bank and blowing up the last of our minor prospects.
This is a really poor and uninformed article/notes page. The content is so off base from what the Red Sox organization’s thinking and stance on things have been I don’t even know where to begin. And some of the statements and “ideas” are just so bizarre and illogical I can’t even understand where the thought originated.
First of all – Leon isn’t going anywhere. Not only is he Ace Chris Sale’s personal catcher, he’s also one of the only catchers in baseball who actually might be an upgrade defensively over Vasquez (which is really saying something – given how talented Vasquez himself is defensively) Which brings me to my second issue with the article – “Vasquez is still a well below average offensive player” – not sure where you’ve been for the past year, but Vasquez led the Red Sox in batting average this past season (or may have dropped to second behind Pedrioa) – I’m not going to say he’s an offensive stud, by any means. But claiming he’s “well below average” is nothing more than a blatant example of how unqualified you are to write this piece.
Beyond that – signing Avila? Like really…? That’s neither an upgrade over their current situation nor an even remotely logical fit. How would signing a backup catcher who has had one good offensive season solve the Red Sox overwhelming issue of being 30th out of 30 in Home Runs last year?
Okay, I’ll stop railing on you here — like look, I get it, your assignment was to write these for a whole bunch of teams that you may or may now follow and or know much about. But this was bad. And for a site like MLBTradeRumors combined with a team with as massive a fanbase as the Boston Red Sox — having something so off base, and so far from reality is truly disappointing. But like I said, don’t take it all that personally – I understand you don’t pick your own topics. (Unless you do – in which case, you should take it more personally — and do your homework before you make a fool of yourself like you did with this piece)
Actually, because I realize how little of a case I made above – I’m going to briefly mention a few other highlights of what I believe to be massive oversights/lack of in depth knowledge about the Red Sox current situation.
(1) Anyone who watched even one playoff game the Red Sox played against Houston (or even looked at their post-season roster vs. Their regular season roster/stats) would immediately know that their “Bullpen success” during the regular season was entirely smoke-and-mirrors, which had all but vanished by the end of the season. The most blatant example to support this is that almost all of their most oftenly used relievers, during the regular season, were left off of the post-season roster entirely – or played such a minimal role down the stretch and into the ALDS that they might as well have been. Barnes, Robby Scott, Heath Hembree, to name a few – were replaced by AAA call-up, trades (Reed), Smith coming back from an injury and Starters moving to the bullpen (Price). So, while their bullpen may well prove to be a ‘strength’ next season – it’s not due to the same players and reasons it was last year (regular season) — it’s due to the emergence of guys like Maddox, and the returns of guys like Smith and Thornburg (hopefully). Additionally — Williams Jerez? Really…? Did you like just scroll through their minor league Baseball Reference pages until you found a LH-RP who had passable stats and stick their name in here to seem like you studied their farm system extensively? — trust me, Williams Jerez is not going to factor into anything the Red Sox do or don’t do this off-season, nor will he even have much of a chance of making the big-league club for anything more than a cup of coffee next season. C’mon… you can do better than that… (Henry Owens becomes the next Andrew Miller anyone? Just kidding… for now 🙂 … )
(2) Carlos Santana having an unusual power surge last season doesn’t qualify him as an obvious solution to the Red Sox power needs. In fact with the exception of last season – his past few seasons wouldn’t even be all that much of an upgrade over mitch Moreland (Outside of OBP)
(3) you can’t say that Starting Pitching could be a potential area for an upgrade and then 5 sentences later state that they won’t be interested in anything beyond a veteran innings eater. Like either they’re looking for an upgrade at SP or they aren’t. A veteran innings eater to provide injury insurance doesn’t qualify as an upgrade by any stretch of the imagination.
(4) one thing you did nail – that it seems you’ve been getting questioned on is Holt. It is actually very likely he is non-tendered or traded. So hey, I’ll give you credit where credit’s due. Next time – just check up on some local Red Sox writer’s takes before spitting out a misleading “off-season outlook” for a team with one of the top 3-5 biggest markets/fan bases in Baseball.
a very knowledgable take on the Red Sox…..I usually go to the source of Red Sox’s fan when I want to know about the Red Sox, even though I have been following MLB closely for over 35 years myself…….
The Red Sox Fan base is very knowledgable on MLB from what I have seen over the last few decades….
Wow, after reading this I think the best option may be to bring in a lot of inexpensive B type players, that aren’t prima-dona’s
Give me the hungry talent that wants to play.
Don’t get rid of the talent we have like JBJ.
Just add layers of less expensive back-up.
Players that can be sent down to the minors and brought up when needed.
If the Patriots can do it why can’t the Red Sox?
How many more players like Price, Sandoval, Crawford and Castillo do they have to blow money on before they realize money can’t buy you mindset and attitude.
My money would go to:
Eduardo Nunez and Jake McGee.