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Boston Red Sox have limited options to spend on in 2021

By Sean Penney

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 15: Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom addresses the departure of Alex Cora as manager of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference at Fenway Park on January 15, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. A MLB investigation concluded that Cora was involved in the Houston Astros sign stealing operation in 2017 while he was the bench coach. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 15: Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom addresses the departure of Alex Cora as manager of the Boston Red Sox during a press conference at Fenway Park on January 15, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. A MLB investigation concluded that Cora was involved in the Houston Astros sign stealing operation in 2017 while he was the bench coach. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

The Boston Red Sox should have no trouble finding room in their budget next offseason. The problem will be figuring out who to spend their money on.

The blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers created plenty of financial flexibility for the Boston Red Sox by clearing $75 million in payroll over the next three years. Ownership has achieved their goal of dipping below the luxury tax in 2020 to reset the punitive penalties, allowing them to spend freely again next offseason.

Boston currently has approximately $126.5 million committed to their payroll in 2021, per Spotrac. That accounts for nine players plus the $16 million they owe David Price to pitch in Dodger blue.

The payroll will rise once the salaries of arbitration-eligible players are determined, plus the pre-arb players who will fill out the remainder of the roster. However, the Red Sox could carve out more room in the budget if J.D. Martinez opts-out of his deal ($22 million for luxury tax purposes) or they decline to pick up the club options on Martin Perez ($6 million) and Mitch Moreland ($3 million). Boston could conceivably start next offseason with a payroll under $100 million before factoring in arbitration salaries.

Either way, Boston will have plenty of room below the luxury tax threshold if they decide to open up their checkbooks next winter. The dilemma they will face won’t be a lack of funds in the budget, it’s a lack of star power in next year’s free agency class.

The dream scenario would be bringing Mookie Betts back to Boston following a one year hiatus that allowed the Red Sox to add a few assets in exchange for loaning their superstar to Los Angeles. They will certainly try to enter the Betts sweepstakes but we learned this lesson the hard way with Jon Lester – you don’t trade a star player before they hit free agency and expect them to return.

We have to assume the Red Sox wouldn’t have traded Betts if they were willing to shell out what it would take to retain him. The Dodgers won’t let him slip away after going through so much trouble to acquire him and the leverage is now in their corner. Therefore, luring him back to Boston is a pipe dream.

If they can’t have Betts, who else can the Red Sox chase in free agency next year?

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