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Lucas Giolito Diagnosed With Partial UCL Tear, Flexor Strain

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March 6: Giolito will receive a second opinion from Dr. Jeff Dugas, Cora said this morning (X link via McCaffrey). Cora conceded that surgery is indeed an option, but no final decisions will be made until the right-hander receives that second opinion.

March 5: Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito experienced discomfort in his right elbow after his most recent throwing session, manager Alex Cora announced Tuesday morning (X link via Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic). He’ll undergo additional testing, but ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the initial diagnosis is a partial tear of the right ulnar collateral ligament and a flexor strain. A determination on treatment won’t be made until Giolito receives additional opinions, but season-ending surgery is obviously now on the table.

It’s a brutal blow for the Red Sox, who signed Giolito to a two-year, $38.5MM contract that allows the right-hander to opt out following the 2024 campaign. Assuming additional opinions confirm the team’s initial diagnosis, Giolito’s decision on next year’s $19MM player option will be rendered a foregone conclusion before the season even begins. If he indeed picks up that player option, the team would be granted a $14MM club option for the 2026 season. Giolito could then convert that into a mutual option by pitching 140 innings in 2025.

Giolito, 29, signed his current deal in hopes of putting a rough couple years behind him and reentering the market in a stronger position. From 2022-23, the right-hander logged 346 innings but pitched to an ineffective 4.89 ERA between the White Sox, Angels and Guardians. A spike in Giolito’s home run rate contributed heavily to the downturn in performance, but he maintained a better-than-average 25.5% strikeout rate against a slightly higher-than-average 9% walk rate in that span.

The primary culprit in Giolito’s struggles was a spike in home run rate; metrics like xFIP (4.08) and SIERA (4.01) felt he was better over the past two seasons than his earned run average would indicate — but also still worse than he was in 2019-21 peak, when he fanned nearly 31% of his opponents against a stronger 8% walk rate.

Now, with Giolito’s entire season in doubt, any chances of rebounding could well be placed on hold for a year or more. At the very least, he’s in for a lengthy IL stint and will be absent to begin the season. That leaves Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Garrett Whitlock as the likeliest options to open the season in Boston’s rotation. Others on the 40-man roster include Brandon Walter, Chris Murphy and Cooper Criswell. The Sox have not yet added much in the way of veteran arms on non-roster deals to compete for jobs this spring, and they traded lefty Chris Sale to the Braves in the swap that brought second baseman Vaughn Grissom back to Boston.

A major injury to Giolito will undoubtedly fuel speculation regarding the top remaining arms on the market. Red Sox fans have clamored for Jordan Montgomery for much of the offseason. The team has spoken to him and shown interest at multiple points, including just prior to the start of spring training. The Boston connection for Montgomery is particularly strong, as his wife is doing her medical residency in the city. To this point, ownership and/or the front office have resisted meeting the 31-year-old’s asking price, but pressure to make some kind of move will only increase.

While fellow Boras Corporation clients Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and (reportedly) Blake Snell shifted from seeking long-term deals and instead pursued opt-out laden short-term deals, all indications regarding Montgomery to this point have been that he’s still seeking a long-term deal. The Red Sox will need to weigh that ask while determining whether they want to throw more resources at a team that appears poorly positioned to contend for a postseason spot.

Montgomery wouldn’t cost the Sox a draft pick or international money, as he didn’t receive a qualifying offer, and the Sox are about $35MM from the luxury tax threshold, so Montgomery wouldn’t push them to that point either. Snell did reject a QO and would thus cost the Sox their second-best draft pick and $1MM of space in next year’s bonus pool for international amateur free agency. There are, of course, alternative options who’ve also not yet signed. Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger, for instance, are both still available and both performed reasonably well in the majors just last season.

Which Is The Best Team In The AL East?

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Just over a week ago, MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald discussed the National League Central, which is arguably MLB’s most tightly-contested division. While no other division compares to that projected dogfight, the American League East provides the Central with a worthy rival in that regard as the only other division that Baseball Prospectus’s PECOTA projects to not include a 90-loss team. Indeed, there’s an argument to be made that the battle for the AL East this year figures to be even more hotly contested. After all, PECOTA projects both the Pirates and Reds to finish with a lower win total than any of the teams in the AL East, while Fangraphs projects the East as the only division in the majors without a sub-.500 club.

That projection systems see the AL East as a division with five potential contenders is supported by last year’s results. The Orioles led the pack last season with a 101-win record, capturing the division title despite a strong showing from the Rays, who finished two games behind Baltimore. Both Tampa and Toronto also managed to make the postseason last year, while New York and Boston both remained on the periphery of the playoff picture into September despite ultimately coming up short. Since then, each club has seen significant changes, and with the likes of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still on the market, it’s easy to imagine one or more of these club’s further improving their stock prior to Opening Day. In the meantime, let’s take a look at where things stand in the American League’s most competitive division:

Orioles: 101-61 in 2023, FG projects 85 wins in 2024, PECOTA 86.2

The Orioles were perhaps the most surprising team in baseball last year, surging to the club’s first AL East title since the 2014 season thanks to contributions from youngsters like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Grayson Rodriguez. Those same young players will be back this season and figure to be joined by consensus #1 overall prospect Jackson Holliday at some point this season, perhaps as soon as Opening Day. The club’s exciting young core figures to once again be complemented by solid veterans such as Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander as well, giving them a strong offensive nucleus with which to attempt to continue their reign atop the East.

With that being said, the club has seen some turnover this winter. Veteran starter Kyle Gibson departed the rotation via free agency this winter, and while the club swung a deal earlier this offseason to acquire former Brewers ace Corbin Burnes to front their rotation, dealing away promising southpaw DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz could be something of a blow to the club’s depth headed into the season. More noticeably, two key pitchers from the 2023 season are entering the season with significant injuries: closer Felix Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery late last year and figures to miss all of the 2024 campaign, while right-hander Kyle Bradish faces a lengthy absence of his own due to a UCL issue after leading the Baltimore rotation last season with a sterling 2.83 ERA across 30 starts.

While the injuries faced by Bradish and Bautista leave the Orioles without two of their top pitchers to open the season, the additions of Burnes and veteran closer Craig Kimbrel should help to soften those blows, and with youngsters such as Holliday, Cade Povich, and Coby Mayo all on the verge of contributing at the big league level, there’s plenty of reason to believe Baltimore can remain in the upper echelon of the league headed into 2024 as long as the club’s young stars can avoid taking a step back this season.

Rays: 99-63 in 2023, FG projects 86 wins in 2024, PECOTA 86.9

The Rays started the 2023 campaign on an incredible hot streak, winning a record-breaking 13 consecutive games to open the season last year thanks to strong pitching performances from the likes of Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, and Shane McClanahan. Unfortunately, each of those aforementioned arms underwent season-ending surgery last year and are expected to miss at least the first half of the 2024 campaign, if not longer. Tampa’s rotation mix was further weakened by the club dealing right-hander Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers back in December, leaving the club with little certainty in the starting mix outside of Zach Eflin and Aaron Civale. Another major loss from a production standpoint is shortstop Wander Franco, who posted 4.6 fWAR in 112 games last year but is facing sexual abuse charges in his native Dominican Republic that put his future in the majors in doubt.

Even with that hefty number of losses, however, the Rays still figure to be a force to be reckoned with headed into 2024. After all, the club sports one of the deepest lineups in the game, led by the likes of Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, Isaac Paredes and Randy Arozarena. In addition to that group, the club sports plenty of young talent with the likes of Junior Caminero, Josh Lowe, and Curtis Mead all expected to contribute at the big league level at some point this season on the positional side. Meanwhile, the pitching staff boasts intriguing youngsters like Taj Bradley, Shane Baz, and offseason acquisition Ryan Pepiot, each of whom are likely to join Civale and Eflin as rotation pieces this season. The club’s perennially excellent bullpen continues to look strong as well, with a back-end trio of Pete Fairbanks, Jason Adam, and Colin Poche bolstered by offseason additions such as Phil Maton.

Given the number of significant absences the Rays are facing entering the season, it’s not necessarily surprising that projections systems expect the club to take a major step back in 2024. The club figures to rely on the likes of Jose Caballero and Taylor Walls in place of Franco at short and young, unproven arms like Bradley and Pepiot in place of established power arms like McClanahan and Rasmussen. Even so, the club’s deep lineup and strong bullpen figure to keep the club in contention for the AL East crown this season, particularly if the youngsters in the rotation find success in the big leagues.

Blue Jays: 89-73 in 2023, FG projects 85 wins in 2024, PECOTA 88.6

The 2023 season was a strange one in Toronto, as key stars such as Alejandro Kirk, George Springer, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took steps back at the plate to leave the club with a surprisingly tepid offense. That didn’t stop the Jays from contending last year, however, as the club managed to sneak into the final AL Wild Card spot with an 89-win campaign thanks to a strong performance from the club’s starting rotation. Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios, Yusei Kikuchi, and Chris Bassitt each combined to give the club above-average production while making more than 30 starts a piece, and veteran southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu managed to step into the rotation and provide solid back-end production when youngster Alek Manoah struggled badly throughout the season.

Entering the offseason, the club seemed poised to make big changes as they were connected to the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, though they ultimately ended up having a much quieter offseason. After watching the likes of Matt Chapman and Brandon Belt depart in free agency, the club brought in the likes of Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Justin Turner to fill the void at third base and DH while adding to their pitching depth with the addition of Yariel Rodriguez. Those minor moves leave the club likely to look for internal improvements as they hope to return to the postseason in 2024. Some of that improvement could come from the club’s young talent, with top pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann likely to debut sometime this year while the likes of Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement figure to attempt to establish themselves in larger roles.

While the club’s lineup took a bit of a hit this winter after a disappointing 2023 campaign, a robust pitching staff figures to keep the Blue Jays afloat this season even if the offense fails to take a step forward. It’s easy to imagine the club returning to the postseason in 2024 if stars like Bo Bichette, Guerrero, and Springer can deliver impactful performances, especially if the club gets strong production from its supporting cast of hitters like Turner, Schneider, and Daulton Varsho.

Yankees: 82-80 in 2023, FG projects 89 wins in 2024, PECOTA 94.7

After missing the postseason for the first time since 2017 and barely escaping the 2023 season with a winning record, the Yankees wasted no time this winter in looking to improve the club’s postseason chances for year two of Aaron Judge’s nine-year megadeal with the club. That included a complete retool of the club’s outfield mix as the club acquired Juan Soto, Trent Grisham, and Alex Verdugo to complement Judge on the outfield grass while balancing a lineup that leaned too right-handed in 2023. The blockbuster deal for Soto and Grisham cost the club plenty of big league pitching talent, including the likes of Michael King and Randy Vasquez, though New York went on to patch up the club’s starting rotation by landing veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman in free agency.

That lengthy offseason shopping list seems likely to leave them in strong position to contend this season even as they lost the likes of Luis Severino, Harrison Bader, and King from last year’s club. Even as the club added a quality mid-rotation arm, solid outfield regulars, and a superstar bat to its mix, however, it’s possible the club’s most impactful improvements could come internally after the club dealt with a hefty number of injuries last year. Judge followed up his 2022 AL MVP-winning performance with another season that saw him post an OPS north of 1.000 in 2023, though he was limited to just 106 games by a toe injury. Meanwhile, southpaws Nestor Cortes and Carlos Rodon both struggled badly with injuries and ineffectiveness last year but still carry front-of-the-rotation upside when healthy, while veteran hitters like Stanton and Anthony Rizzo could also benefit from improved health this season and rebound from difficult 2023 campaigns.

Of all the clubs in the AL East, it’s easy to make the argument that the Yankees did the most to improve this winter. While even those additions may not be enough to catch up to the club’s divisional rivals on their own after an 82-win campaign, improved health from the club’s key regulars both on the mound and in the lineup could certainly help the club avoid missing the postseason in back-to-back campaigns for the first time since the 2013 and ’14 seasons.

Red Sox: 78-84 in 2023, FG projects 81 wins in 2024, PECOTA 79.2

It’s been a strange offseason in Boston, as the club began the winter with promises of a “full throttle” approach to the 2024 season and a goal of improving the club’s rotation. Despite those major plans, the club has generally opted for smaller moves throughout the winter. Perhaps the club’s most notable move was parting ways with longtime ace Chris Sale in a trade that netted the club young infielder Vaughn Grissom, while Sale’s spot atop the club’s rotation appears poised to go to right-hander Lucas Giolito.

The club also added outfielder Tyler O’Neill in a trade with the Cardinals while signing veteran closer Liam Hendriks to a two-year deal, though the righty won’t impact the team until the second half at the earliest as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Those moves more or less leave the club in a similar position as they were last season, with Giolito replacing Sale while O’Neill and Grissom figure to replace Adam Duvall and Turner in the club’s lineup. While the club’s most significant offseason losses have been replaced in one form or another, other departures such as those of James Paxton, Alex Verdugo, and John Schreiber have all gone unanswered to this point in the winter.

Despite the club’s many question marks, there’s some reason for optimism in Boston, thanks to the young talent that could impact the club this year. In addition to Grissom serving as a potential solution at second base, Triston Casas, Jarren Duran, and Brayan Bello took significant steps forward last year and could prove to be core pieces for the club, while youngsters like Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela could also impact the club this season after making brief cameos in the majors last year. It’s certainly possible to imagine Trevor Story returning to the form that once made him a star with the Rockies now that he’s further removed from the elbow troubles that cost him much of last season, and Masataka Yoshida could be an impactful bat if he can recreate his performance from the first half of 2023 over the full season this year. Meanwhile, the rotation features a handful of interesting youngsters such as Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock, and Kutter Crawford, any of whom could prove to be an impactful arm if they manage to take a step forward this year.

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On the heels of a 2023 season that saw three of the division’s five teams make the postseason and its fifth-place finisher end the season with a better record than the fourth place finishers of four other divisions, it’s perhaps not a surprise that the AL East figures to once again be among the most competitive divisions in baseball this year. After a busy offseason in the division, which team do you think will come out on top? Was the Yankees’ splashy offseason to put them back in the driver’s seat? Will another year of development for the young players in Baltimore allow them to repeat their dominant 2023 campaign? Will the deep rosters of the Rays or Blue Jays manage to outlast the competition? Or could the Red Sox outperform the projections and take the division on the back of their young players and rebound candidates?

Which team in the AL East is best? Have your say in the poll below!

Vaughn Grissom Likely To Miss Opening Day Due To Groin Strain

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Vaughn Grissom will probably have to wait a bit longer to make his official Red Sox debut, as manager Alex Cora told reporters (including WEEI’s Rob Bradford) that the second baseman has been sidelined by a groin strain.  The severity of the injury isn’t yet known, though it is serious enough that Cora was doubtful that Grissom would be ready for Boston’s season open on March 28 in Seattle.

Grissom has yet to see any Grapefruit League action at all due to a prior hamstring problem, so between that injury and now the groin strain, his first spring camp in a Red Sox uniform hasn’t been particularly memorable.  It seems likely that Grissom will start the season on the 10-day injured list, as he’ll need time to both get healthy and then get some work in either at Spring Training proper or in extended spring camp to get himself at full readiness for regular-season games.

Amidst a relatively quiet offseason for the Red Sox, the club’s acquisition of Grissom stands out as its most headline-grabbing move.  The Sox traded Chris Sale and $17MM (to partially cover Sale’s salary) to the Braves in exchange for Grissom, with the intent of installing Grissom as a long-term answer at second base.  The position had been both a revolving door and a weak link for the Red Sox, but the Sox are hopeful that second base is now covered for the rest of the decade since Grissom is controlled through the 2029 season.

As an 11th-round pick for Atlanta in the 2019 draft, Grissom’s quick rise to the majors has been something of a surprise, particularly given the playing time lost during the canceled 2020 minor league season.  The Braves are known for aggressively promoting certain prospects they feel they can provide immediate help at the big league level, and Grissom’s huge numbers in the minors earned him a 41-game look in the Show in 2022, with Grissom hitting .291/.353/.440 over 156 plate appearances.

This impressive start hinted at a larger role and perhaps the everyday shortstop job for Grissom in 2023, though Orlando Arcia ended up taking that role and Grissom spent most of last season at Triple-A Gwinnett.  While Grissom continued to hit well at Triple-A, he had only 80 PA (hitting .280/.313/.347) in the majors since the Braves prioritized regular playing time for Grissom in the minors, and due to the durability of Arcia and mostly every member of Atlanta’s regular lineup.

Cora said that Enmanuel Valdez is the likeliest candidate to fill second base in Grissom’s absence, and players like Pablo Reyes, Rob Refsnyder, Romy Gonzalez, or Bobby Dalbec could also pick up the slack.  The Red Sox were known to be looking for some position-player depth this week and signed C.J. Cron to a minor league contract, though Cron is a first-base only player.  It seems possible the Sox might keep looking for a middle-infield type to further bolster their depth given Grissom’s situation.

Red Sox Agree To Minor League Deal With C.J. Cron

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1:00pm: Cron will make a base salary of $2MM if on the roster and could unlock another $500K via incentives, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

10:05am: The Red Sox and first baseman C.J. Cron are in agreement on a minor league deal, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive (X links). The client of Moye Sports Associates will presumably receive an invite to major league camp.

It was reported yesterday that the Sox were looking to bring in a veteran to compete for a bench spot, with Cron floated as once such possibility. The 34-year-old has served as a potent bat in the big leagues for many years but is coming a frustrating 2023 season.

He began the year with the Rockies for the second season of a two-year, $14.5MM extension he signed late in 2021. But he made multiple trips to the injured list last year due to issues with his back. He was traded to the Angels midseason and only got into 71 games on the year between the two clubs. He still showed a bit of pop with his 12 home runs but only walked in 6.1% of his plate appearances. His .248/.295/.434 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 82.

Cron doesn’t really steal bases, just 10 in his career, and can only play first base. His glovework has generally been solid in his career, as he has 12 Defensive Runs Saved and 13 Outs Above Average. But it’s still a position where the offensive expectations are high, making last season’s struggles stand out.

The Sox will be hoping for a bounceback to his previous form. He came into last year with 175 career home runs and a slash line of .261/.322/.474, which leads to a wRC+ of 111. He had a really strong run from 2018 to 2022, hitting between 25 and 30 home runs in each full season of that stretch, though a knee sprain limited him to just 13 games in the shortened 2020 campaign.

If his contract is selected, he likely wouldn’t be looking at an everyday role in Boston. The club has Triston Casas as its regular first baseman and will likely use the designated hitter slot to rotate in various defensively-limited players like Masataka Yoshida and Rafael Devers. But they do have a number of left-handed hitters who project for either full-time or part-time roles, including Devers, Yoshida, Casas, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Reese McGuire.

Cron has pretty even splits in his career, having hit .266/.324/.489 against lefties for a 113 wRC+ and .257/.318/.463 against righties for a wRC+ of 107. But he could nonetheless help the Sox shield some of those lefties from tough southpaw pitchers, either by serving as a pinch hitter late in games or taking a few starts.

He will first have to crack a spot on the roster. The club’s bench will have McGuire as the backup catcher while Rob Refsnyder should be present as a reserve outfielder, as he has over five years of service time and cannot be optioned to the minors. That leaves two spots for depth infielders, with Bobby Dalbec, Enmanuel Valdéz, Pablo Reyes, David Hamilton and Romy González already on the 40-man roster. Reyes is the only one of that group without options, so the Sox could theoretically run with a bench of McGuire, Refsnyder, Reyes and Cron while sending the rest of those infielders to the minors in order to preserve depth. The club would need to open a 40-man roster spot but could easily do so by transferring Liam Hendriks to the 60-day IL, since he’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and won’t be back until the trade deadline at the earliest.

There’s no real risk in signing Cron to a minor league deal to get a close-up look for a few weeks, assessing his health and current form. If he were to crack the roster, perhaps a part-time role would help him stay healthy and effective throughout the campaign.

Red Sox Evaluating Market For Position Player Depth

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The Red Sox are still evaluating the market for depth on the position player side, writes Chris Cotillo of MassLive. That acquisition would ideally be an infielder who could compete with the likes of Pablo Reyes, Bobby Dalbec, Enmanuel Valdez and Romy González for a backup job.

Boston had been linked to a few depth infielders who have come off the market in recent weeks. The Sox were tied to each of Amed Rosario, Gio Urshela and Garrett Cooper at points. None of those players would’ve been costly. Rosario and Ursehla took $1.5MM guarantees with the Rays and Tigers, respectively. Cooper settled for a non-roster pact with the Cubs. The Sox evidently didn’t feel their need for infield help was sufficiently pressing to handily top those offers. Nevertheless, there are still a few players they could try to bring in a minor league or one-year MLB deal.

Donovan Solano can cover any of first, second or third base. He’s coming off a .282/.369/.391 showing for the Twins a year ago. Elvis Andrus can cover either middle infield spot and is the best remaining free agent shortstop. Evan Longoria could see action at either corner infield position, while C.J. Cron and Joey Votto are available for teams seeking first base help. Cotillo notes that Adam Duvall, another reported player of interest to the Sox, has first base experience in addition to his more traditional outfield work.

Boston isn’t going to add an everyday infielder. They’re comfortable across the diamond with Triston Casas, Vaughn Grissom, Trevor Story and Rafael Devers. That has the potential to be a lackluster defensive group, particularly on the left side, but none of them are in danger of being squeezed out of the Opening Day lineup.

Reyes turned in a .287/.339/.377 batting line in a career-high 185 plate appearances a year ago. He played both middle infield spots and can bounce throughout the infield. Reyes doesn’t bring any power to the table, but his contact skills and defensive flexibility make him a viable utility player. He’s also out of options, so the Sox would have to trade or waive him if they’re not going to carry him on the MLB roster. That gives him a good shot at making the club.

There’d be room for one more depth type, ideally someone with more offensive punch than Reyes brings to the table. Dalbec, González, Valdez and David Hamilton all still have options remaining. If the Sox brought in someone on a big league contract, it could spur some kind of movement with Dalbec. He’s 28 and going into his final option season.

Dalbec showed promise three seasons ago, hitting 25 home runs with a .240/.298/.494 slash over 453 plate appearances. He struck out more than 34% of the time, though, and he hasn’t remedied those swing-and-miss issues. Dalbec hit .215/.283/.369 in 2022 and only got into 21 MLB games last year. He had a monster slash line for the Sox’s top affiliate in Worcester — .269/.381/.557 with 33 homers, tying for the Triple-A lead — but continued to strike out at a near-35% rate.

Red Sox Sign Jason Alexander To Minor League Deal

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The Red Sox have signed right-hander Jason Alexander to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The righty is a client of Apex Baseball.

Alexander, 31 on Friday, was able to make his major league debut with the Brewers in 2022. He tossed 71 2/3 innings over 11 starts and seven relief appearances. He posted a 5.40 earned run average in that time with a subpar 14.3% strikeout rate but a strong 50.6% ground ball rate and an 8.7% walk rate that was right around league average.

Last year, he was shut down in the spring due to a shoulder strain and began the year on the 60-day injured list. He was activated off the IL in July but then optioned to the minors. A few weeks later, he was outrighted off the 40-man. He tossed 55 1/3 innings at Triple-A last year with a 5.86 ERA, 13.8% strikeout rate, 7.5% walk rate and 46.1% ground ball rate. He was not added back to the roster at season’s end and was able to elect free agency.

The righty’s performance in recent years has largely resembled his previous body of work. He’s never racked up tons of strikeouts but has avoided walks and kept the ball on the ground. He has a 4.75 ERA in 407 1/3 innings minor league innings in his career overall. He has only punched out 19.3% of batters faced but has only walked 6.4% of them while getting heaps of ground balls.

The Red Sox posted a team-wide ERA of 4.52 last year, a mark that was better than just nine other clubs. They came into this winter looking to upgrade the pitching staff but haven’t done too much. They signed Lucas Giolito to take a spot in their rotation but also traded Chris Sale to Atlanta. They’ve also made marginal additions, adding guys like Cooper Criswell, Greg Weissert and Isaiah Campbell.

Alexander will be looking to earn his way onto the roster alongside other non-roster players like Joely Rodríguez and Lucas Luetge. If Alexander is added at any point, he still has a couple of options and less than a year of service time.

Red Sox, Montgomery Had Zoom Meeting Before Start Of Spring Training

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The Red Sox have been tied to Jordan Montgomery for the bulk of the offseason. Reporting last week indicated the Sox remained interested in the left-hander but continued to wait for his asking price to drop.

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted this morning that the Red Sox had “recently” conducted a Zoom meeting with Montgomery. Manager Alex Cora confirmed to the Boston beat the meeting took place but indicated it happened before the beginning of Spring Training.

“Buster is right,” Cora said (link via Christopher Smith and Sean McAdam of MassLive). “We zoomed with him. But we’ve been zooming with a lot of people throughout the offseason. I’m not going to get into specifics but yeah, it’s part of the process. It was a while ago, too. I was in South Beach for that one. I was in Miami.” Smith and McAdam point out that Cora was in Miami on the weekend of February 9-11 to watch the end of the Caribbean series and take part in a University of Miami alumni event.

Clearly, that conversation didn’t result in an immediate agreement. With Montgomery still on the market two and a half weeks later, the Sox remain a logical fit. They haven’t markedly upgraded their rotation throughout the winter. Boston took a flier on Lucas Giolito before shipping out Chris Sale for second baseman Vaughn Grissom.

They’re currently set to enter the season with a front four of Giolito, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford. Righties Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock and Josh Winckowski would battle for the final spot. Installing Montgomery atop the group would allow Boston to keep the latter three arms in multi-inning relief roles to begin the year.

[Related: Where Does The Market Stand For Jordan Montgomery?]

The question is whether his asking price will fall to a level with which the Red Sox are comfortable. CEO Sam Kennedy sam last month the Sox anticipated opening the season with a lower payroll than they had in 2023. Roster Resource calculates their 2024 CBT number around $202MM. That’s nowhere near the $237MM base threshold and around $23MM shy of last year’s estimated mark. Signing Montgomery wouldn’t push the Sox into CBT territory, but it would likely push them close to their 2023 spending range.

One of the “Boras Four,” Cody Bellinger, came off the market over the weekend on a three-year deal. The $80MM guarantee was nowhere near what his camp had sought early in the offseason. A reported ask above $200MM never materialized, leaving Bellinger to settle for a modified pillow contract that could allow him to retest free agency via opt-outs in either of the next two offseasons.

That kind of contract might not be as appealing to Montgomery. He recently turned 31 and was ineligible for the qualifying offer this offseason thanks to the midseason trade sending him from St. Louis to Texas. If he took an opt-out laden deal, he could have to wrestle with draft compensation in a future offseason. Montgomery is coming off a third straight year in which he reached 30 starts. He tossed a personal-high 188 2/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA that was the best mark of his career. He added 31 innings of 2.90 ERA ball over six postseason outings to help the Rangers to the first title in franchise history.

Red Sox Notes: Crawford, Mata, Yoshida

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While the Red Sox indicated early in the offseason that addressing the starting rotation would be a priority for the club this winter, it seems they’ll go into the 2024 season having only swapped out Chris Sale for Lucas Giolito, at least barring a late bid for Jordan Montgomery. Should the club stick with its internal options for the rotation mix, Sean McAdam of MassLive relayed comments from manager Alex Cora regarding the state of the rotation yesterday. Per McAdam, Cora suggested that right-handers Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, and Nick Pivetta are all locked into the rotation to open the season. Meanwhile, McAdam adds that Cora indicated Kutter Crawford would have a “leg up” over each of Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck, and Josh Winckowski in the battle for the final two rotation spots.

That Giolito and Bello are locked into rotation spots entering the season is hardly a surprise, given the pair are the only two hurlers on the club’s staff to make at least 25 starts last year. Likewise, it’s hardly a surprise to hear that Whitlock, Houck, and Winckowski are under consideration for a role at the back of the club’s rotation. Each righty made at least one start for the club last year and the trio of young hurlers all figure to be key pieces of the club’s pitching plans this season, whether in starting roles or in relief.

That being said, it’s something of a surprise that Cora indicated Pivetta has a more firm grasp on a rotation spot than Crawford. The 31-year-old Pivetta was dominant for the Red Sox in a multi-inning relief last year with a 3.05 ERA in 55 2/3 innings of work, while he pitched to a far more pedestrian 4.66 ERA in sixteen starts in 2023. Crawford, by contrast, Made 23 starts for the Red Sox last year and pitched to a 4.20 ERA with an excellent 3.64 FIP after joining the rotation full time in early June. Cora’s characterization of Crawford’s position in the rotation mix also represent a slight departure from comments chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made last month, where he suggested that Giolito, Bello, Pivetta, and Crawford all were set to enter camp as members of the rotation.

More from around Red Sox camp…

  • Right-hander Bryan Mata has been shut down due to a pulled hamstring, Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive’s Chris Cotillo) this morning. A timetable for Mata’s return is not yet clear. The 24-year-old right-hander has not yet made his big league debut but figured to enter Spring Training with a strong chance to earn a job in the club’s bullpen this spring. Mata does not have options remaining, meaning that he must be carried on the club’s active roster or else designated for assignment and exposed to waivers, running the risk that a rival club would claim him. If Mata’s absence proves to be a lengthy one, of course, he could open the season on the 15- or 60-day injured list, thereby delaying the need for Boston to make a decision regarding his future.
  • WEEI’s Rob Bradford spoke to outfielder Masataka Yoshida today, and Yoshida revealed that he underwent surgery on his jaw shortly after the 2023 season. According to Yoshida, the issue didn’t “necessarily” impact him from a baseball perspective during the 2023 season, though he noted that the surgery alleviated discomfort that nagged him during everyday use of his jaw. Yoshida appeared in 140 games for Boston during his first MLB season last year, slashing a respectable .289/.338/.445 in the first year of his five-year, $90MM pact with the Red Sox. Yoshida figures to look to improve on his 2023 campaign this season after he slowed down a bit in the second half last year, slashing just .254/.278/.386 over his final 62 games after entering the All Star break with an excellent .316/.382/.492 slash line.

Chris Sale Discusses His Surprise Over Trade To Braves

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The Chris Sale-for-Vaughn Grissom trade between the Braves and Red Sox caught many in baseball by surprise, including Sale himself.  The veteran southpaw related in a recent appearance on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast (hat tip to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford) that being dealt “wasn’t even in the realm of possibilities.  That wasn’t even a thought that crossed my mind” heading into the offseason.  As Sale plainly put it, “Why would anybody want me at this point?” in the wake of multiple injury-plagued seasons.

There was also the factor of Sale’s 10-and-5 no-trade rights, so he could’ve rejected the chance to join the Braves.  However, after less than a day of discussing things with his family and inner circle, Sale okayed the deal, with some Grapefruit League geography playing a major role.  The Braves’ spring facility in North Port, Florida adds only roughly an hour to Sale’s commute from his home, so “I can still live my life while being part of this team in spring training.  That was probably the most important thing.  One hundred percent.  My kids play sports.  They’ve got school stuff going on.”  Sale also relayed the amusing item that the first proper conversation he had with Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow after weeks of texts and “phone tag” was when Breslow let Sale know the trade was in the works.

Latest On Red Sox, Jordan Montgomery

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The end of February is now less than a week away and Spring Training games have begun, yet plenty of significant free agents remain unsigned. As long as they linger on the open market, they will continue to be the subject of discussion. That’s particularly true of the “Boras Four,” which is formed by Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman, all of whom are represented by the Boras Corporation.

The Red Sox have been loosely tied to Montgomery throughout the offseason and that connection was addressed this morning by both Rod Bradford of WEEI and Sean McAdam of MassLive. Bradford reports that the club appears to prefer Montgomery to other available free agents but it is still waiting for the price to come down. McAdam frames it similarly, noting that the club has stayed in contact with Scott Boras “as a matter of course.” McAdam also suggests the Sox could fit Montgomery into their budget if his asking price drops, but he also points out that several other clubs would jump into the fray at that point. At any rate, it seems to be a moot point for now since McAdam relays that the asking price has not dropped.

The fit between the two sides is a sensible one in some ways. Montgomery’s wife is doing a residency at a Boston hospital and there would surely be some appeal to the convenience of working in the same city for much of the year. But beyond that, the club has been searching for starting pitching all winter and hasn’t really found it. They did sign Lucas Giolito but also traded away Chris Sale, leaving them roughly where they started. One might argue that Giolito is an upgrade on Sale but that substitution doesn’t address the overall depth.

The Red Sox have also been quieter than some other traditional big spenders. While clubs like the Yankees and Dodgers are well beyond the fourth and final luxury tax tier, the Sox aren’t even above the lowest threshold of $237MM. Boston’s competitive balance tax figure is at $202MM, per Roster Resource, which gives them plenty of room to theoretically make a big splash and still avoid the tax. Some other clubs like the Padres, Rangers, Mariners and Twins seem to be operating with diminished spending capacity this winter due to uncertainty in their TV revenue situations.

All that could perhaps put the Red Sox in a position to strike, but there are also reasons to suspect it won’t happen. The club’s president Sam Kennedy was recently present as Spring Training facilities and spoke to the media, with Christopher Smith of MassLive relaying some video. “We have set parameters for him,” Kennedy said in response to a question about whether chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has a hard budget. “He’s operating under those parameters.” He declined to elaborate with specifics.

All teams have budgets but there can sometimes be a point where opportunities push a club to alter their plans. Both the club and Boras appear to be holding their positions for now and time will tell whether one side blinks or if the staredown leads to Montgomery signing elsewhere.

It’s possible something will happen to get things moving, but the Sox might proceed into the season with their current rotation mix. Last month, Breslow said the rotation consists of Giolito, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Nick Pivetta. That would leave Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski as options for the final spot.

Giolito has plenty of success in his career but his earned run average has finished just below 5.00 in each of the past two seasons. Bello and Crawford each have just over 200 major league innings under their belts. Pivetta’s 2023 finished strong but he was bumped to the bullpen for a time due to some shaky results. The latter three worked both as starters and relievers in their careers and are still trying to establish themselves as legitimate rotation options.

There’s plenty of uncertainty in that mix and an addition would make sense if the Sox are willing to add some money to the payroll. In addition to Snell and Montgomery, the free agent market still features Michael Lorenzen, Mike Clevinger, Rich Hill, Zack Greinke and others. In addition to the Sox, Montgomery has received reported interest from clubs like the Angels and Giants, with other clubs making logical sense. MLBTR predicted him for a six-year, $150MM deal coming into the winter but his continued stay in free agency suggests that he hasn’t had offers in that vicinity and the chances of him getting there will likely drop as time goes on.

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