The Red Sox will dip into the bargain bin for relief help this winter. To inspire optimism, let’s look Boston’s recent clearance rack success stories.
Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is on record claiming that he doesn’t anticipate a huge relief pitcher acquisition this offseason. This could be a negotiating tactic of course – obviously, it wouldn’t buy him much leverage to say we need a superstar closer and we will pay whatever it takes – but Dombrowski has always been a pretty straight-shooter.
If we are to take his words at face value it means that the Red Sox are going to be looking in the bargain bin to fill out their bullpen.
So the Sox will probably be signing some names far less exciting than Craig Kimbrel, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t value to be had. Every year there are bullpen arms that get signed for next to nothing only to anchor their respective relief unit. There are no guarantees the Red Sox find such a bargain, but to inspire a little bit of optimism, let’s take a look at five of the greatest bullpen bargains the Red Sox have found in recent memory.