The Red Sox are preparing a formal contract offer to Corbin Burnes, write Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive. The former Cy Young winner is the final clear top-of-the-rotation arm available in free agency.
Boston came up empty in their pursuit of Max Fried. While the Sox were one of Fried’s top suitors, they balked at the massive $218MM guarantee which the southpaw landed from their rivals. The Red Sox have also seen reported targets Blake Snell and Nathan Eovaldi head elsewhere. The supply is limiting if the Sox are going to follow through on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s stated goal of “raising the ceiling” in the rotation.
Burnes would obviously accomplish that. While the righty hasn’t missed as many bats over the past couple seasons as he did during his best years in Milwaukee, he’s still an ace. Burnes fired 194 1/3 innings of 2.92 ERA ball for the Orioles in his platform year. He added eight innings with one run allowed in his lone postseason start. If the Red Sox were to land Burnes, they’d have one of the stronger rotations in MLB. He’d top a staff also including Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and a hopefully healthy Lucas Giolito.
At the start of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Burnes would receive a seven-year, $200MM commitment. That’ll almost certainly be light. Burnes was above Fried on virtually every contract prediction (MLBTR’s included). This has been a very strong market for starting pitchers. There’s a chance Burnes could land eight or even nine years on a deal that checks in between $250MM and $300MM at this point.
The Giants and Blue Jays are also known to be involved on Burnes. Baltimore has expressed a desire to keep him around, but that seems to be a longer shot. As a player who rejected a qualifying offer, he’d cost the Sox their second-highest draft pick and $500K of pool space from their 2026 international signing class.
Burnes isn’t the only qualified free agent (nor the lone high-profile Boras Corporation client) whom the Sox are pursuing. Boston is reportedly in the mix for Alex Bregman. In a separate column, McAdam writes that the third baseman is something of a divisive player in the Fenway Park offices. According to McAdam, manager Alex Cora and team president Sam Kennedy are more keen on a Bregman pursuit than Breslow happens to be. Cora is personally familiar with Bregman from his time as bench coach in Houston.
Whether Breslow is lower on Bregman as a player or simply prefers to focus his attention on starting pitching, that’s a potential complicating factor for free agency’s top remaining position player. The Sox presumably aren’t going to come away with both Burnes and Bregman. They could keep Rafael Devers at third base or pursue a Nolan Arenado trade if Bregman heads elsewhere. If they’re looking for a top-of-the-rotation arm and come up empty on Burnes, they’d likely go to the trade market. Reports have cast them more on the periphery of the Garrett Crochet bidding. The Sox floated the possibility of swapping Triston Casas for one of Seattle’s starters, but the Mariners rebuffed that interest while expressing a desire to hold their young pitching.
If they balked at Fried’s price, they better forget Burnes who should hit 250 easy now.
I wouldn’t pay more for Burnes than Fried. Of course, I also wouldn’t have paid what the Yanks are paying Fried.
Burnes is better imo. I would have rather him than Fried, but neither for the length tbh.
I initially thought Burnes would now cost 8 for $245m but the question is who else is in this bid up the price? Will Toronto or SF go that high? Are the Mets or Dodgers willing to absorb the additional tax cost?
dewey – Loomer has it right.
“You need to outbid Toronto and SF for Burnes. If they do that, they can trade for another arm and we can all breathe again. It can still work but you are threading a needle at this point. You miss on Burnes? Every team has leverage against you in a trade. You’re desperate.”
That’s why Breslow is going to have as many WS trophies as you when he gets fired.
For – Just think, the Red Sox could have had Lugo, Sale and Shota next year all for a combined $48M.
Or just not have traded Sale last year and made the playoffs.
But we got Vaughn Grissom who cannot hit period. Another great Breslow trade. Sale wins the Cy Young award and Grissom cannot make it out of Triple AAA. I am sure that Breslow will underwhelm Burnes too. Breslow will get in it late underwhelm him and say we were in it until the end and came up empty. Breslow is in way over his head. The only reason he got the job was because no one wanted to come to this team after what they did to Dave Dombroski which was terrible.
If that is true and they fire Breslow,Who else will they get?Bloom and Breslow aren’t doing the job,Maybe Ed Romero?
Farhad Might be interested, if you can seduce him away from the bright lights of LA
Red sox fans loved getting rid of sale at the time. You guys can’t criticize the gm on that one.
Why go backwards? Just do something now to change the narrative.
LOL, FPG. That was my top 3 for the rotation I posted last off season. I still keep it in my phone in notes to show people the date. That would have put us in the post season for sure.
Thank you
william – Great minds!
I thought I was the only one here who was pushing hard for Lugo and Shota. So ridiculous how cheap the Sox could have signed them, and instead they gave up a huge chunk of the farm rolling the dice on Crochet.
Yeah. The only reason I instantly thought of them was that I knew the Red Sox would go cheap, if they did anything at all, and these two guys would be better than what we had (although not real 1,2’s). I was hoping they had enough foresight to see them as 2024 solutions to a bad rotation and push them into the 3 and 4 role the next season with such a strong crop of free agents this year.
I despised it. I came on here and hated on that trade for the return, and the fact they would miss out after so much frustration on a healthy Sale. The rotation was mediocre or bad with him in it. Without him, it was bound to be worse and meant taking at least one more pitcher out of a crappy bullpen.
You weakened the rotation and bullpen with this trade. The only reason would have been to clear salary, since the return was marginal at best. They used that freed money on a pitcher that had a terrible year in 2023, and a collection of journeymen and reclamations.
Also, as always, I am a big believer in the knock-on affect in pitching staffs I always preach. You added these two, you leave two in the bullpen instead of starting them, and you leave two bums off the staff.
william – It was a classic example of a polished executive (AA) taking advantage of a rookie (Breslow). Ironic how they went into last offseason hinting at gaining two SP’s, and instead of gaining two they reduced by one. They are damn lucky the Gio injury forced them to move Houck into the rotation.
And the Sox knew Sale was finally healthy!! So they saved $10M in deferred money and forfeited 2 years of prime Sale including a very cheap $20M option for next season.
Just an all-around horrible move by the front office. It’s not like Grissom was a highly touted prospect or proven MLB player.
Farhad?
Boston desperately needs someone and will overpay like Yankees did for Fried. Burnes easily should get something over 30 a year.
Toronto and Boston both desperate for Burnes. Which team is the most desperate though??
That part is a foregone conclusion. The question is whether it reaches $40M AAV and if it goes beyond 5 years.
trust me they will balk. just trying to show RSN that they are all in this offseason lol.
I agree. I think that 8/240 is finally too rich for their blood. And I am dismayed to read that Bregman has an advocate in Alex Cora, yet another reason why Cora should not have been extended.
Horace – It’s a fascinating power struggle between Breslow and Cora, just like Bloom/Cora.
I warned everyone the egotistical Cora personality would return as soon as he signed the extension.
Sag. I’m not willing to go where you went. Circumstances aided Devers. As for Soto, it seems to me they made offers knowing they were never in it (along with the Jays). Their statements though have now forced ownership to do “something big” and the rest of the off season will tell. I’m thinking a trade with the Cards to get both a third baseman. and closer plus an eventual deal with Seattle for a starter is what happens.
There’s no reason to waste any prospects on a trade to bring in a 34 year old third baseman. If you all are so desperate to enrage Devers by bringing in a third baseman, just sign one.
Not a single prospect should go out the door if the return isn’t a front line SP, because they’re not signing Burnes
Sad – With the chaos currently going on in the Red Sox front office and with Cora, I really wish Netflix was still filming.
They simply don’t know how to handle things in a professional, respectful manner. It’s not just the way they’ve mistreated the fanbase over the past several years with their lies and open disdain toward Red Sox Nation, but also the way they are treating the players.
If I’m Devers and I hear my manager pushing hard to sign Bregman, I’d be pissed.
If I’m Casas and I hear the front office pushing hard to trade me just a few months after coming back from a serious injury, I’d be pissed.
The only reason they have been quiet on Yoshida is because they are trying to lure Sasaki, but we already heard his complaints months ago.
The only way to overcome the toxic dynamics in the Red Sox hierarchy is to sign Burnes or trade for Crochet. I would hope they stay away from Cease unless a trade is contingent on an extension. And they need a proven righthanded closer.
Will Henry suddenly realize he needs to open his wallet? Time will tell.
Amen to all of that!!
Don’t forget how they have low-balled free agents in prior years also. Had they not insulted Teoscar last year he might already be in a Sox uniform this year. He openly complained in an interview about how insulting the Sox offer was.
Sad – Yep, and Teo openly stated last offseason he didn’t believe the Sox cared about winning.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, the Red Sox have earned their bad reputation and players/agents won’t quickly forget. Most free agents care about how prior Red Sox players and free agent targets were treated, because a leopard doesn’t change his spots.
May they sign him to 9 years/$405M and may he pull a disappearing act ala Chris Sale, etc…
jeez they are people too
And their contracts are fully guaranteed.
I get what you are saying- it’s very weird to ‘hate’ players on rivals clubs and then like players when they’re literally anywhere other than the club that is your rival, but se la vie.
no i meant the fans, why wish this hurt on them?
Lol seriously? Do you know how *obnoxious* Red Sox fans have been since 2004? Also they are tied for the most World Series titles over the past 20 years- they aren’t exactly deprived.
much as it pains me to say it, boston has the most titles since 2004. they have 4, giants have 3 and astros have 2
The “obnoxiousness” that you claim Sox fans have is born out of the bitterness towards an owner who for the last five years has torn the team down and lied to our faces and said “this off season is the one where we reinvest after our ‘bridge’ years”, but then does nothing.
We are extremely happy and thankful for 4 trophies in 20 years! Amazing!!! But we are bitter about being lied to. Ownership should simply say nothing, or, if they feel it necessary, say we are reworking the organization towards a goal of future long term success.
The fact of the matter is no one here expects to win every year, we want to field a competitive team without the bluster.
If I recall correctly they did that thing a lot of teams do where they signed a ton of guys to fat extensions, signed a ton of very expensive free agents and then that team didn’t gel, so they blew up the roster, tightened the purse strings a bit and stopped ‘trying’ and that quickly turned into an era of many years- I think this all started when they gave up on that Adrian Gonzalez era.
Met him BTW- not as big as I thought he’d be.
c’est, not se
Most consider Burnes better than Fried. Won’t debate that, but I feel Fried might age better. Regardless, if Boston thought 8/$218 was too much, then what do they expect Burnes to be? Fried just set the benchmark, and you bet Boras will demand more for Burnes. And if Boston sees Burnes as better, then why put forth the offer to Fried first, then Burnes? Is it possible the Sox were looking to sign both?
not a chance in he$$ the sox were going to sign both
@Randy
Not an absurd idea. Repurpose that $700 mil offered to Soto and you’d still likely have $250 left over. Easily become your 1 and 2 aces. Then use one or two of the kid pitchers plus some prospects and get you a couple of star hitters.
If the $700m was a real offer, than yes, repurpose that into two or three FA signings. But it wasn’t a real offer.
The Red Sox started the offseason with a highly desirable $80m million dollars of room under the cap, with more room in ’26. So instead of smartly applying that, they spent $15m on two 37yo relievers!
@Sad
multiple sources say the Sox offered $700 mil. Not sure why you dint believe that.
Yes, they did. But, the money and the number of years were already at that level or beyond whent the offer was .made.
According to multiple sources, they were always “at” or “near” the top offer, but never “The” top offer.
They are going to be baffled when he ghosts them and signs with the Mets or Giants even after Henry was so generously willing to throw out his largest offer yet, of 4/$150
I agree, I don’t see Boston locking up Burnes. They *might* get Flaherty, who is in an awkward spot. Most teams likely see him as inconsistent, and the wealthy teams may spend their money elsewhere. Enter Boston.
I think Burnes goes to San Francisco. The Mets seem like they want to build the rotation around the margins again. They’ll probably bring back Manaea, or if they go big, its to trade for Crochet.
His market was moving quicker. That’s why the earlier offer. I think they are just throwing crap at the wall though.
I think they are both good bets to age well. Neither has a ton of mileage on their arms and both have shown the ability to excel without high strikeout totals.
Round and round we go!
And instead of getting their choice of player, the Sox will now have to more for Burnes – who may have been third on their internal board for starters.
This screams of a situation like Price, where the Sox were 30MM above the Cardinals. I don’t really remember Price as living up to the deal, but his stats aren’t awful during that time. Certainly not worth the massive deal he got, hence the salary dump in the Betts deal.
Price was bad contract. Many will say well he got them a championship but so could that $ spent elsewhere. Maybe you never know. Maybe they win more with that $ elsewhere. He was pretty awesome in the world series. Playoff games are big $ for team. I’d say it ended up being ok meh.
YouDreamGM – Hindsight sure makes you seem smarter but at the time it was an awesome deal that cost a lot of money. Nobody could have predicted the impact of Cora on both Price and Sale. Great contracts made bad by an unqualified manager. They still got a ring out of it and it’s not your money so why would you care to suggest it was a bad contract not a bad manager’s impact on the contract when we still won a ring with him?
The ONLY way they win more is without CORA. The money was invested wisely. The need for the owners to change their reputation as racists by diversity actions triggered the downfall of both Price and Sale, elite pitchers who deserved the money and in Sales case even more money.
FYI the same truth holds today.
No hindsight. I always thought it was a bad contract. Actually with hindsight I think it’s alright. They won a championship and he was important in doing so. Just looking at his numbers it was bad. See Scherzer Cole if you want to know what “a awesome deal” looks like.
YourDreamGM – Since both Scherzer and Cole have had multiple contracts which ones are you pointing to?
Dombrowski signed Price for a second time in 2016 for the Boston Red Sox. What had he accomplished before Dombrowski outbid guys like Cashman to get Price?
Price was the first pick in the 2007 draft out of Vanderbilt a well known superior college pitching program and by 2010 Price was an all-star and finished 2nd in the Cy Young. 2011 he was an all-star but he was a Tampa Bay Ray so that doesn’t say much. in 2012, he won the Cy Young Award. In 2014 he finished 6th in the Cy Young and in 2015 he finished 2nd in the Cy Young race along with 9th in the MVP race.
That was his performance prior to being paid $31 Million a year in 2016. How does that compare to Scherzer and Cole?
Cole started with PIT in 2013 and played 5 years making the all-star game and finishing 4th in the Cy Young and 19th in the MVP race in 2015. The other four years had no honors.
Cole spent 2 years in HOU where he suddenly got better thanks to some pitching coaches impacting his pitching. the year after the Astros cheated with the banging of the cans. Was his spin rate improved legally? Great question.
His success was two all-star games, a 5th and 2nd place finish in the Cy Young and a 10th place finish in 2019 for MVP.
So to recap, Price had a Cy Young win and 2 second place finishes and a 6th place finish before he got his contract and Cole had a 2nd place, 4th place and 5th place in the Cy Young voting when he got his NINE YEAR $324 Million dollar contract and Price had a CY YOUNG, 2 second place finishes and a 6th place finish and got a 7 year contract for $217 Million.
So you say the Cole deal was awesome? For who? The player or the team? Price was more accomplished and Boston paid a more team friendly contract to him so he was by far the better deal. It didn’t turn out that way because of Cora but the deal struck by Dombrowski like always was far better than the Cashman deal.
Scherzer had one big contract signed in early 2015 10 months prior to Price’s deal. He got 7 years and $210 Million and Price got 7 years for $217 Million. What had Scherzer accomplished by the time he got his deal? Like Price he had a Cy Young award and a fifth place finish as opposed to Price have the first and sixth place finishes but also 2 second place finishes more than Scherzer.
So, Price was the most deserving of the money but it didn’t work out because of Cora and it will cost him a spot in the HOF. Sale lost out on the HOF thanks to Cora and both Cole and Scherzer never had to deal with Cora so they both are on track to be in the HOF after their careers.
Again, the best qualified for the money given to him was Price not the guys you mentioned. Price was a stud when he was signed by Dombrowski.
You sold me.
Price > Cole Scherzer
The reality is, the Red Sox must now pay a premium to attract FA’s because of the prior lowballing and undesirable organizational situation.
A fundamental shift needs to happen, where, the Sox need to be proactive, strike quickly, and hold on to your wallets, OVERPAY
Red Sox are going to fail and sign Jeff Hoffman as a starter and act like he’s a saint
Sad – Sox want Fulmer in the rotation. Not kidding.
They would’ve protected him from the R5 if that was the case
Fletch – It goes without saying they are banking on him not being selected.
Why would they pencil a guy into the rotation who wouldn’t be selected?
Cotillo just said they’re stretching him out. That doesn’t necessarily mean having him in the rotation is something they want
Fletch – You really stepped into that one.
x.com/bradfo/status/1866634307084661176
And that tweet says the exact same thing Cotillo said…
You said they “want” him in the rotation as if they view him as an integral piece of the big league rotation and are counting on him to pitch every 5 days. It’s true he may be in a Worcester’s rotation, but they don’t want 28 starts from Fulmer as their Plan A
“Wanting” Fulmer to prepare as a starter is a lot different from wanting him to get regular big league starts
Nice job being disingenuous and trying to play word games tho
Fletch – You pulled the same crap last off-season when I said Criswell would be in the rotation and you jumped all over it.
Every decision that’s made is geared toward helping the big league club, not the minor league club. With pitchers constantly getting injured, SP depth is critical. It’s unfortunate you weren’t capable of enough critical thinking to realize that, and now you’re trying to make excuses for being 100% wrong.
Fletcher is obviously correct. If the Red Sox actually intend for Fulmer to be in their staring rotation, they would have protected him from the Rule 5 draft.
Ownership & the Smilin’ Craig Buyslow are a joke! 2nd year in a row doing nothing! The Soto “pursuit” was a sham!! He will leave Dallas with nothing while the local outlets write how he’s monitoring the market. Horrible how this team has fallen. That’s what happens when ownership only cares about the ballpark generating revenue!
“One of the stronger rotations in MLB” lmao yeah okay.
Burnes, Houck, Bello, Crawford and Giolito with Fitts, Criswell and Priester as depth options is pretty solid. And that’s before they probably trade for another starter. With their offence it’s a playoff rotation.
Your #1 isn’t going to happen. And really, Giolito and a bunch of guys with zero MLB innings? Laughable.
This year the Red Sox posted a modest team wRC+ of 104, including a wRC+ of 83 after August 15. The Sox will be looking to replace Tyler O’Neill.
Nick – I laughed at that too.
Yes…agreed….strongest rotations….really!
There’s always Crochet for prospect capital or Luis Castillo.
Yeah, and Boston *has* that capital. If they acquire Burns they could easily acquire Crochet or Castillo too. That would make it really interesting as they move forward.
Come on Yankee Clipper…when was the last time Boston has even contemplated spending half what it would take to get 1 let alone all 3…and that’s assuming ownership is willing to offer more yhan Fried got and that their farm system has pieces Seattle and/or Chicago would want….but enough for 2 trades and signing Burnes….lol
I said one trade along with Burns….. either Crochet or Castillo, not both of them.
But they have a consensus top farm system, so they certainly could get one, imho. As for Burns, I don’t think they will do what it takes to get him, but I believe they have the resources to.
I find the whole “top farm system” about the Sox hilarious. I know that this comes from other news outlets, Fangraphs, Baseball America etc but I can’t help but think that having literally no good pitching prospects in the minors has to negatively impact the view on the farm as a whole.
They can’t play all the position players at once, and trade prices for SP will be astronomical so looks like they just won’t improve the rotation at all.
And FWIW I don’t want them going anywhere near crochet.
Joemo: “having literally no good pitching prospects in the minors”
===============
Wrong. They do have good pitching prospects. You should go to soxprospects.com and read about them. Even if they didn’t, they can trade excess position prospects for pitching prospects. That’s what happened with Nick Yorke. They traded him for pitching.
Or Rich Hill
Dick Mountain was just spinning it in Japan
The Castillo trade makes the most sense. Doesn’t cost as much in prospects, take on the rest of his somewhat modest contract, say you spent money and improved the rotation to appease the fans. And tbh, he is much better than what they currently have.
I want the Sox to trade for Castillo so bad.
He’s due 3yrs at $25mm per. What an affordable contract for a guy who pitches deep into games, even if you’re only getting 80% of his best performance, its still pretty darn good relative to Flaherty, Manaea, etc
I think he’s better than Flaherty and Manaea anyway. I know last year paints a different picture, but he seems more likely to have an allstar calibre season than Flaherty or Manaea, both of whom seem to have come off seasons that do not track with their recent body of work.
A staff of like this is very respectable:
1. Castillo
2. Houck
3. Crawford
4. Bello
5. Criswell
Maybe they bump Criswell to the pen and add a lefty as well, like the aforementioned Manaea who looks like a much better signing with Castillo added as well.
1. Castillo
2. Manaea
3. Houck
4. Crawford
5. Bello
Cohen gonna get Burnes
I think a mystery billionaire should do like the Dark Knight Joker and create chaos by paying the remaining free agents and a bunch of the best players from their preferred club’s rivals $1 billion each to retire effective immediately.
His has a smart gm now.
I’m hiring Corbin to be the CEO of my business. Gotta protect myself with everything that’s been going on in our society
Not after the disasters of Verlander and Scherzer. I think Sterns has convinced him they can build an excellent rotation on the margins with good coaching/analytics and keeping guys on short deals. Even the Senga deal is worrying already. After a brilliant first season, you have to wonder how he’ll come back this year. If he pitches to his potential and stays healthy, he’s unquestionably the ace.
Love Max but he’s injury prone. Corbin is way better and a true Ace
That kind of thinking is how the Braves got Sale for free.
Well, we aren’t signing either so it doesn’t matter
Red Sox please sign Burnes, so than they’ll be out of the Crochet and hopefully out of the Sasaki deal so my Mets can get both.
Sasaki reportedly wants a mid-market. I don’t think he’s going to any of our teams. Probably Cubs/Rangers/SD/Seattle I’m guessing.
Boston is acting pretty mid market
Where did you hear that about Sasaki?
Mets have no chance of Crochet, Jett Williams ain’t good enough
Why would any signing eliminate a team from the Sasaki sweepstakes?
Big news! Maybe biggest red sox news of year. They had interest, they made calls, they even asked for a sit down. But this. This is big. Not a informal offer. A formal offer.
A formal offer for a teams meeting to discuss, possibly, maybe making a 3rd best contract offer.
I don’t think Breslow knows how to negotiate his way out of a paper bag. He sounds way too timid, over-thinking every detail, and then fails to get the deal over the hump. Boston needs a decisive DEAL MAKER in that position.
His hands are tied. It sounds like they can’t agree on what to do
Or it could be that Breslow is a strong, independent thinker that refuses to make deals that will hurt the Red Sox down the road. It could be that the Red Sox made the highest bid they could possibly make for Soto. The Red Sox simply cannot outbid the Mets, Dodgers and Yankees. I think Breslow avoided the worst deal of the offseason so far by not signing Fried. I think Fried will likely need TJ surgery in the next year or two. I don’t think Breslow is the problem. It looks like it is Sam Kennedy making dumb remarks. Werner seems to have learned his lesson.
“Sure, Jan”
Getting so close to actually making an offer, this is really exciting
“Corbin, we’d like to offer you a meeting to discuss the future meeting in which we offer to offer you an offer.”
Coming Thursday: Red Sox Preparing Offer To Patrick Corbin.
Freudian slip? Perhaps I want the deal to go the way of that Corbin deal? Haha.
Picture this: The Red Sox hold a press conference to announce their big-ticket free-agent signing. Craig Breslow and Alex Cora smile as they hold up a jersey that reads “Corbin” on the back.
RED SOX NATION: Darn, they screwed up his uniform.
Then the curtain swings open, and out limps Patrick Corbin.
Patrick Corbin, right now, today, 8 years/$360M with a $40M signing bonus- who says no?
Is this a trick question?
Make that Nick pivetta. Barf
So that’s an obvious nobody say no.
All free agents are getting way more than anticipated. It is definitely a different story this season than last. Blake Snell is probably kicking himself for signing so early probably could have gotten another year or two to his contract.
Yup. Might’ve been able to push his AAV up to $40M or more… oh well… Then again this was all based on Soto’s contract opening the flood gates and after his experience last year coming off a Cy Young win, I don’t judge Snell for pouncing on an early, bird in the hand mega offer, rather than holding out for an extra $2-5M a year and one extra year or something… and risk having to settle for yet another ‘pillow’ contract.
Snell received a $52M signing bonus. It’s doubtful he’s kicking himself.
Conned again
Red Sox are that guy in every auction that bids on everyone up until the projected cost. Then only ventures higher if they know someone else will pay more so they don’t have to get stuck with the bill.
At least they’re in it. The Orioles need an ace, yet continue to sit it out. Windows in baseball only stay open for so long.
The Orioles window was always built on projection of young players. This is not a suitable way to win. We’ve seen how quickly it falls apart with the Jays and White Sox. Rising tides don’t win the playoffs, surging tsunamis do.
Surging tsunamis? More like planet killing asteroids.
I love the whole “continue” thing. Os are two years ahead of plan. No one thought there was any chance they’d win 192 games in the last two years. They have multiple high quality starters coming back from injury mid year plus Felix. This whole win the WS or blow it up thing is stupid. Would you rather be the Braves and make the playoffs every year and win a WS once a decade or blow up your team every 4 years. Personally I’ll take 90 to 100 wins every year and take my chances in the playoffs – which is a crap shoot most years
Hearing the news, Toronto is preparing a $300mil offer to drive the price up.
I will guess Burnes 8/280. Eight years for a pitcher is way too long. The way pitchers are blowing out the UCL, figure out of the eight years two will be lost to injury.
Compare this to the recent Yankees headline and you’ll see the problem with the Red Sox in a nutshell. “Yankees sign Max Fried”. Not “Yankees interested in Max Fried” or “Yankees make offer to Max Fried” or “Yankees still in on Max Fried.” No, they SIGNED him. The Red Sox are ditherers, too meek and averse to adapting to the realities of the market that they’re never the team aggressive enough to just *get it done*. Always “in on” everybody, but ownership is never willing to make an offer aggressive enough to get the player to sign on the spot.
Having said that, I’m hoping I’ll shortly refresh the page, see that the deal got made, and then this comment will look foolish. But I’m not holding my breath.
Here we go with the Red Sox ‘interest’.
Let me guess. They offered Burnes a crisp $5 bill and all the free concessions during home games Burnes can eat.
This year it seems to be about the years of the contract. To get what you want you will have to go way beyond the years you’re comfortable with.
Now they are preparing an offer? Go the trade route. 30m a year is too much for any pitcher. But please, no more reclaimations or the like. Also please don’t let our next starting pitcher be a Rule 5. I think we all agree they will do something, still early. Fear is what they end up doing.
I don’t understand the throw away comment that the Os are a longer shot? On what basis can you make that statement as this is the first off season for a new owner with significant resources. I’m not saying he’ll stay just that it’s idiotic to determine it less likely.
No worries the sox will offer Burnes the John Henry special, might even up the offer with a $20.00 domino’s gift card and throw in an emergency pizza.
Breslow FORGET Bregman and Arenado KEEP CASAS DAMN IT! Screw Burns too at 8 or 9 years 250 to 300 million give me a break that’s dumb! Don’t trade anybody for Crochet, just move to the next tier down Behuker, Meanea, sherzer whatever. Wait until the trade deadline.
Screw Boris too never let him I’m Fenway again guys a snake
And we have arrived…they “went after” Soto, knowing full well Steve Cohen wasn’t about to allow him to go anywhere but the Mets. So they were more than safe in “offering” 700 million dollars. Then they “preemptively struck on the super in demand” Aroldis Chapman, who would’ve been a decent signing 3-5 years ago. Then quickly saw Fried and Eovaldi vanish, will be unwilling to go where necessary $$ wise for Burnes…and will get rejected in trade attempts for Crochet, Seattle starters, etc. Eventually watching Crochet go to SD, or wherever. They’ll sign this years equivalent of Gioloto (Buehler?), and call it a winter. All while preaching “they were pushing hard to get guys”. Quinn Priester though, get excited!!
“Preparing an offer” for Burnes…actual meaning: ridiculously low offer!! Then what will they do…they will probably resort back to the dumpster!
Good lord…at least sign Flaherty & trade for Crochet for the rotation.
Then focus on signing Hernandez & Scott. Might also check in on Amed Rosario (utility player 2nd, SS. 3rd & OF).
This should fill all gaps for the time being. (Should shrug)
*shoulder shrug*
At this point I’m sure all those over enthusiastic fans that were convinced the Red Sox were going to spend money are facing reality. There will be no mega deal coming this off season.
If you want insight into what’s going to happen jump on Spotrac and select Free Agent Starting Pitchers. Then go down the list and look for a guy who has not done well and will ask for more money than they deserve but it will be roughly $20Million AAV. Let me show you:
1 – Verlander – PASS – Not likely to drop AAV to $20Million
2 – Scherzer – PASS – Again, not likely to drop AAV
3 – Corbin – MAYBE – He is old with an AAV of $23Million last year
4 – Morton – MAYBE – He’s really old with an AAV of $20Million last year
5 – Burnes – BID TOO LOW – Perfect candidate so team will low ball
6 – Flaherty – MAYBE – SP2 at best likely to be another low ball candidate
7 – Manaea – MAyBE = Great year due to improved mechanics = Low ball
8 – Gibson – MAYBE – Another old guy that is cheap
9 – Quintana – MAYBE – Yet another old guy under the $20MIllion limit
10 – Heaney – MAYBE – Lefty in the right price range
11 – DiSclafani – MAYBE – SP no better than what we have
12 – Lynn – MAYBE – Old guy under the $20Million limit
13 – Miley – MAYBE – Old guy that fits the criteria for a number 3 to 5 SP
14 – Wood – MAYBE – Lefty fits the money but not the slot needed
15 – Buehler – YES – 30 year old who hasn’t pitched in years
16 – Perez – PASS – Unless Cora wants him back!
17 – Pivetta – MAYBE – Last resort since nobody was added
18 – Paxton = PASS – Been there done that twice with bad results
19 – Quantrill – YES – Under 30 with low cost
20 – T Williams – YES – A Breslow kind of guy. Not good lately and cheap.
Look over the choices that are likely to be taken and ask yourself has the team already failed this off season? I think they have missed out on the better choices on the original list and now have to give up talented young players in hopes of trading for iffy pitchers like Crochet or backing up a truck of prospects to send to SD for Cease. Either way, trades when you are $99 Million below the CAP seem like bad choices which makes them the most likely to happen.
Lets hope they keep the key prospects in Campbell, Anthony and Teel who haven’t come up yet and Grissom, Rafaela, Casas and Duran who are already up. I’m ambivalent about Abreu since he had so many errors and didn’t produce in the heart of the order. As a platoon hitter with questionable defense but a great arm, I think he is a loss we can afford considering the skills of the other outfielders and because Cora showcased him he’ll have more value than he should.
FYI – Just saw the rangers were smart enough to get Jake Burger an alternative that I suggested so Devers could move to DH. One less opportunity to improve the defense, add a right handed power bat and Miami took 3 not top prospects to get Burger. It was a perfect opportunity for Breslow to clear out 3 pretenders and significantly improve the defense in an almost insignificant move involving very little money. Now we can go back to pining for Bregman!!
Saga…imagine that, the RS bringing up the rear & once again missing out!!!
Effing Quintana… that creep can roll, man…
What do you have against Quintana?
Saga…I agree 100% about holding onto Campbell, Anthony & Teel.
They can give up Abreu because he is very questionable defensively & you are right his value is up currently. Rafaela (utility) is a keeper, Grissom cut the losses, Duran is a keeper as well & Casas I’m on the line about…can be a + at times while at other times he chokes.
Funny to me that Cherrington, Bloom, and Breslow have all developed the farm system to the point where it’s one of, if not the, best in the game, and yet Sox fans ridicule them for being “cheap:”‘
Cherrington and Bloom were almost immediately hired into prominent roles with other MLB teams after getting “fired:”.
Sox are still cheap. What’s the common denominator?
ccsilvia – What you said made no sense. Breslow hasn’t developed the farm system. Bloom is gone a year now and none of his farm system guys have contributed yet so how did he help the farm system? Do you know who the two young stars on the roster today got drafted by? Dombrowski not any of the other three clowns. You know Dombrowski, the guy who won 3 straight division titles and spent money because he was an experienced GM not a first timer like Bloom and Breslow..
FYI…. the farm system has fallen off during the Bloom years since he hasn’t produced any MLB talent. We hope someone will finally make it to the MLB that was drafted by Bloom but his top pick has been a bust until 2024 because he hasn’t performed well most years and is injured all the time.
So just to be clear. The farm system is nothing more than potential. Until a guy graduates and contributes like Mookie, Bogey, Devers, Duran or Houck they are just potential and the value of that potential is a guess by some moron from a rating service. These services ranked Swihart over Mookie back in the day. More recently they had Jeter Downs 44th on the list and two years later he was DFA’d. Don’t hold your breath over farm system ratings. Let the players graduate and produce before declaring victory with the farm system.
“If the Red Sox were to land Burnes, they’d have one of the stronger rotations in MLB.”
Say what…? Right now they have one starter with an ERA under four. Burns would make that two. They’d still need another solid starter to get them in the same conversation as the Yankees and Orioles.
FSG please save your money for Salah, Trent, and Big Virg!
At this point, I don’t understand why Boston admits to being interested in anyone, Red Sox were in on X is a meme at this point. Be cool to see Corbin land with Boston though.
Just to watch him go to SF…
Red Sox preparing to make a strong third place offer in their pursuit of Corbin Burnes…
Cease for Casas and Wong……
lol no
It’s really becoming a joke now. Of course the Red Sox have to overpay for free agent pitching. It’s time Breslow and ownership has to overpay for Burnes they have to win that sweepstakes. I’m terrified what Breslow will panic and give up for Crochet if they miss on Burnes, which I concede is most likely. Once they miss on Burnes might as well develop the young guys and look for 2026.
The Yankees know that signing Fried likely won’t age well but yet they did it because they are trying to win. The Red Sox need to get the fans back. It’s not going to happen if they don’t make a big gesture or two. The Red Sox really need Burnes and another free agent starter. They have now missed on Soto, Snell, Fried, and Eovaldi. It’s time for ownership to sign an uncomfortable contract.
Just DO something. You’re looking like utter fools. Breslow is
in WAY over his head. Get Theo in there PA-leeze.
They will “try” and fail to sign anyone worth anything
I’m glad the Redsox are bidding responsible for these overpays this off season. We have enough talent in house to fix our own issues at RHB/2b, and backup C, sign a decent arm, try for Sasaki and there’s always the trade deadline or next winter. No rush we’ve waiting 6 years what’s another 1 or 2? Get Anthony rolling Trade Yoshida and any prospects #9 or below. Bring up Campbell & Teel call it an off season. Our Boys will learn on the job and rise to the collective occasion!
Yankees They’re not winning a damn thing lol they have ZERO depth and no talent at the farm, ranked 29th! This is a narcissistic organization that is factually in a decade and a half drought! They have albatross older contracts of aging “has been”, “once was” players. They foolishly added huge risk and overpayed, in both years and dollars, on top of their mound of huge risk and overpayed elderly home lmao SMDH! And they still need a 1b, 2 or 3b, 2 OF, and a backup C. This is a paper built “3 little pig” house of cards, waiting for the real “Big Bad Wolves” of MLB to simply blow over! As they were blown over with Soto. I suppose with such a desperate last gasp, having no farm or depth, they’re having a hard time facing the reality that they’re heading for a bridge embankment is a Mercedes chased by Paparazzi, listen for the crash that will send them into the 25th year of drought. Inevitably they’re facing an organization overhaul/rebuild. For the rest of the league, it’s quite fun to watch desperation in pinstripes play out…let’s face it, not 1 team is afraid to play the little pigs anymore! #drought #yankees #overhypers
Hi John, Tom, Sam, Theo, Craig,
How’s the offer coming along? Almost prepared?