Red Sox: 5 non-tender players to consider in free agency
By Sean Penney
Boxgberger is coming off a bit of a down season in which he posted a 4.39 ERA and 1.42 WHIP. This can partially be explained by a career-high 1.5 HR/9, the result of moving from the pitcher-friendly environments he called home for most of his career to an offensive haven in Arizona.
Walks were also to blame, as has often been the case for Boxberger. His 5.4 BB/9 this year was troubling even by his standards.
However, Boxberger does match those flaws with elite strikeout upside. He owned a 12.0 K/9 this year and has an 11.6 rate for his career.
Boxberger also has some experience as a closer, having led the league with 41 saves in an All-Star campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015. He tallied 32 saves with the Diamondbacks this year.
The free agent market isn’t exactly overflowing with closers outside of Kimbrel. If the incumbent closer bolts for a lucrative deal the Red Sox aren’t willing to compete with, Boxberger is among the cheaper alternatives to consider.
As an added bonus, Boxberger will be a pleasure to have during Player’s Weekend. When players were allowed to wear nicknames on the back of their jersey’s for one weekend this year, Boxberger sported a jersey with a picture of a box and a burger in place of a name. Who wouldn’t want a guy with that sense of humor?