Red Sox Free Agency: Three former pitchers to sign for a discount

#1: Clay Buchholz

In my eyes, this could be one of the better free-agent signings still on the market. I’m going to give everyone a moment to yell angrily as much as they need to after reading my initial statement. Ok, now that we’ve got that out of the way, hear out my thought process.

The entire plan I’ve laid out here is combining an inexpensive free-agent option with someone who’s also been in the Red Sox organization before. There’s no one better when you use that formula than Clay Buchholz. Once thought to be the future of Boston’s pitching the veteran is now on the backside of his career.

Having just completed his thirteenth season in the league he’s once again on the open market. Clay spent his first decade in the Majors with the Red Sox and I can’t think of a better way for him to finish things out than another run at Fenway Park. As we all know, injuries have hampered what could have and should have been an impressive career.

Buchholz has only thrown 164.2 innings over the last three seasons so being a starter may not be an option anymore. Bringing him in out of the pen as a long reliever similar to Walden very well could be the route to go for the righty.

Clay only made $3M in 2019 and I can’t see his salary being close to that going forward, so this may be the right time to strike and offer a homecooked deal. Offering him something in the 2-year/$3M range could be just what both sides need and the allure of “coming home” may be just what Buchholz needs.