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Red Sox: Free-agent targets Boston needs to be contenders in 2021

By Justin Absten

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox pops out in the third inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox pops out in the third inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Oct 1, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt (second from left) takes the ball from starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 1, 2020; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Shildt (second from left) takes the ball from starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) during the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /

Father Time could provide leadership to the Red Sox rotation

Prying Adam Wainwright away from the Cardinals after fifteen years will be no easy task, but now seems more likely than ever that Wainwright will not be putting on a Cardinals next season. Atlanta has been on the list of suitors for Wainwright, but after signing Drew Smyly, they seem to have withdrawn themselves from the conversation. Insert the Boston Red Sox.

For Boston, this could be the John Smoltz experiment gone right. The team is not only lacking talent in their rotation, but also leadership. Wainwright is a veteran of fifteen years in MLB, posting a career 3.38 ERA. Although headed into his age 39 season, Wainwright has proven time and time again that he can conquer the test of time.

In 2019, Wainwright pitched 170 innings at the age of 37. In 2020, Wainwright held an ERA of 3.18 (.2 better than his career average), all while nearly keeping pace with his career average of strike outs per nine innings.

Boston needs to use their advantage in being the Red Sox, the historic team that free agents like Smoltz want to play for. Wainwright can fill in the end of Boston’s rotation, and provide the team with the consistency and leadership their rotation lacked last season. He is clearly looking for a World Series win before he retires, making his acquisition extremely appealing to other free agents who can’t help but assume a Wainwright acquisition could very well equal a World Series win. Looking for a projected one-year, $7 million contract, Wainwright is a low risk, high reward free agent that could push Boston over the edge this season in their pursuit of another World Series.

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