Red Sox: Five players Boston needs to target in Free Agency this winter

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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BOSTON, MA – MAY 04: The Boston Red Sox 2018 World Series Trophy is seen at the Boston Arts Academy Foundation’s annual BAA Honors Gala at InterContinental Boston on May 4, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. In October 2018 Boston Arts Academy is the city’s only public high school for visual and performing arts and broke ground on a new $125 million facility scheduled to open in 2021. (Photo by Paul Marotta/Getty Images)

What’s on the horizon for the Red Sox?

So, what’s next Red Sox Nation? I honestly don’t know and I don’t think the team does either. There’s an air of optimism as we’ve recently gotten good news about both Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez. There was also the emergence of numerous young players that stepped up big and showed they can hang at this level. But the big decider for 2021 all lies in free agency this winter.

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Boston has been a disappointment at both the trade deadline and free agency over the last two years and that trend needs to end ahead of 2021. With the penalty market reset and money to be spent, Chaim Bloom and his team need to be aggressive in getting the pieces required to fix this team. As I laid out above, that all starts with the pitching. The offense will always be there, they just need the arms to do their part and keep them in the game.

In my heart I feel that the Red Sox will have a chance to be competitive next year, especially with the recent sentiments from Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy, and Bloom. They all know that this year was a massive setback for everyone in the organization and it can’t happen a second year in a row. We’re only a few years removed from the most dominant team in Red Sox history, many pieces are still there, they just need to be reminded.

Go out and get some strong relievers that can hold the wall for the starters and definitely get someone who is a legitimate closer. No more of this closer by committee or band-aid relief, there needs to be one defined person that enters the game in that situation. The team also needs to add at least one if not two competent starters to help Eovaldi and Perez as they await the returns of Sale and E-Rod. If Boston can achieve these very simple things, then I truly feel that 2021 can be a damn fine year. If they stumble once again, then I think we may be in for some dark days ahead.

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