Boston Red Sox: Biggest free agent busts in franchise history
By Drew Athans
The Red Sox have never been shy about spending money on free agents to bolster the team, but for all the ones they’ve hit on they’ve spent unwisely on just as many. Here’s a list of the worst free agents they’ve ever signed.
As one of the richest teams in one of the biggest baseball markets in the country, the Red Sox have never been shy about spending money. One of the reasons they’ve been perennial contenders over the last two decades has been the willingness of owner John Henry to open up his deep pockets and spend on talent to augment the team.
However, just because the Red Sox have the money to spend doesn’t mean they’ve always spent it wisely. Oftentimes in an effort to keep up with the Yankees and stay competitive year in and year out, the Red Sox have spent foolishly on free agents.
Sometimes these signings ended up not working out due to unforeseen circumstances like injuries while other times the player in question couldn’t handle the pressure of playing in Boston. In many cases, these signings simply underperformed and weren’t worth the money the Red Sox invested in them.
The following is a list of the worst free-agent signings the Red Sox have made since free agency began in Major League Baseball in 1976. A couple of these players were simply forgotten once their time in Boston was up while others became the object of fan resentment. None have really been missed by Red Sox fans.
In no particular order, let’s begin!