Red Sox Free Agency: Five high-profile players to avoid
By Sean Penney
Wade Davis
The Red Sox may add another piece to the bullpen but they won’t look to the top of the reliever market to find one. This means we can cross Wade Davis off the list.
The three-time All-Star has been one of the best relievers in baseball since converting full time to the bullpen in 2014. He saved a career-high 32 games for the Chicago Cubs last season, posting a 2.30 ERA and 12.1 K/9. His 1.45 ERA over the last four seasons is the best in the majors among pitchers who have tossed at least 200 innings over that span.
There is no denying Davis’ brilliance but he’s not quite in the upper-echelon tier that Craig Kimbrel is in, yet he’ll get paid as if he is. Boston already has a lights-out closer and doesn’t need to splurge on an overpriced setup man. As appealing as it sounds to pair Kimbrel and Davis as a two-headed monster to lock down the final two innings, paying what it will take to sign him is a luxury Boston can’t afford when they have more pressing needs to focus their financial resources on.
With Tyler Thornburg returning from injury and a full season of Carson Smith, the Red Sox have a solid foundation for a bridge to Kimbrel in the 9th. If they add another reliever it will either be from the bargain bit or a lefty to replace Fernando Abad.