Red Sox Free Agency: Three positions to target to be competitive in 2021
The Red Sox should look at these 3 positions to be competitive in 2021
The Red Sox are not too far from being a competitive team. After the 2020 season, you would think that was too far fetched. The biggest problem with the Sox last season was their pitching or lack thereof.
It started with trading David Price being traded to the Dodgers and it all started rolling downhill from there. Chris Sale ended up needing Tommy John surgery which put him out for the season and then Eduardo Rodriguez was out due to complications with covid. That was just with the starting rotation, the bullpen had problems as well. Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor were starting the year on the COVID list.
The Opening Day starter would have been Rodriguez if not for the myocarditis. They were already behind the eight ball to be competitive in 2020. I’m not going to go over the entire season because let’s face it, no one really wants to relive that. In this article though, I will be going over the three things I believe can help the Red Sox to become contenders in 2021.
Now, when I say contenders, I am not suggesting that these three positions will end up winning the World Series or even the division. I am saying that if the focus is on these things, they could possibly make a run into the postseason.
As of right now, it has been a pretty slow process in the free-agent market. The biggest splash that really has been made so far has been made by the Braves. So, there is plenty of fish on the free-agent market right now.
Red Sox Outfield Needs
We all know that pitching is going to be the number one focus this off-season for the Red Sox, so I am going to start with the outfield. Yes, every fan of Boston knows that their main focus should be on pitching, but I am going to save the best for last. Players that the Red Sox should eye are George Springer, Kevin Pillar, and Marcell Ozuna. Now, I know that there are more outfielders that are available in the market right now and I could probably just keep rambling on about this person and that person.
George Springer has hit the free agency market with the intention that he wants to be closer to his family in Connecticut. That automatically puts the teams in the northeast at a bigger advantage than other teams. Springer will also cost the team a second-round draft pick while also looking for multiple years. According to MLB.com, Springer is projected to get around $125 million for 5 years. Doesn’t really seem like someone Bloom would sign though the relationship with Alex Cora is already there.
Pillar played a half of a season with the Red Sox in 2020 before being traded to the Rockies. A reunion could benefit both player and team. Pillar signed a one-year deal with Sox after his stint with the Giants. He had stated that he always wanted to play in Boston. He has the same type of defense that Jackie Bradley Jr. showed while being in Boston and he has a slight advantage with the bat.
The one thing that many people seem to think about Pillar is that he is not a starter. He was when he played in Toronto and I think a one or maybe two-year contract would benefit both sides. If this was the avenue Bloom decided to go down, he would get a veteran player at what I would assume a team-friendly deal.
In 2020, Pillar signed a $4.5 million one-year contract, what’s to say both sides would not be willing to do it again? It could work and if it did, when the contract was over, the Sox could look at bringing up outfielder Jarren Duran.
Ozuna is probably the one that I would be more interested in because of what he did in Fenway Park this past season. Ozuna is the first National League player to hit 3 home runs in the same game. He bats righty for power and he can play the outfield. He has played more time in left field than any other position and I know that Andrew Benintendi mans that position.
If the Sox were able to get Ozuna, I could see Verdugo manning CF and Benny in RF. They could hide Ozuna in LF and slide that bat in the top 5 in the line-up. Imagine having to face JD and Ozuna back to back, would be a fearsome duo sort of like Ortiz and Ramirez. Wishful thinking? Maybe, but definitely, something that the front office should look at.
Red Sox Starting Pitcher Needs
Pitching is definitely the biggest problem the Sox had in 2020. Their Opening Day starter was Nathan Eovaldi, which says a lot about the team already. After Sale went down for Tommy John, it was thought that E-Rod would then take over for Opening Day but ue to complications with COVID, that didn’t happen and they had to go with their number 3 starter.
The rotation consisted of Eovaldi and Martin Perez. Yes, I only mentioned two players because that is what it consisted of. Perez was the only consistent pitcher for the Red Sox in 2020, not missing any starts throughout the season. The bullpen really didn’t get a chance to establish themselves in save opportunities because the Sox would be so far behind by the time they had a chance.
Almost every Sox fan wants Trevor Bauer and unfortunately, I don’t see that as realistic. Bauer is going to want to get paid his $25+ million for one year (if he stands by his one-year deal) and I don’t think that really works well into Bloom’s plans. There have been talks showing interest in J.A. Happ, which I don’t know how to really feel about that. According to Jon Morosi, fans should have seen this coming. Happ has thrown more innings in Fenway than any other ballpark he did not call home.
Sources: #RedSox showing interest in J.A. Happ, and perhaps we should have seen this coming: Happ, 38, has thrown more IP at Fenway (66-2/3) than any ballpark he has not called home -- and he has a 2.57 ERA in his career there. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 23, 2020
I know Bauer is not realistic, but please come on Bloom. Jake Odorizzi would be someone the Sox should look at. It’s not like they need multiple arms to contend. With E-rod coming back and presumably healthy, he would be the number one starter. If he doesn’t show much rust and pitches as he did in 2019. Eovaldi would end up being a number two starter.
Though this isn’t really an ideal situation it is still a step in the right direction. If the Sox pick up Odorizzi and toss him in as a number 3 starter and get an arm or two for the pen, they would-be contenders. Another arm the Sox could go after in the starter role is Corey Kluber.
Kluber is right up Bloom’s alley. He was injured for the 2020 season, was a good pitcher before being sidelined, and will probably be looking for a one-year deal. If the price is right, I don’t see why the Sox would not go after Kluber.
Red Sox Relief PItcher Needs
The last position that the Red Sox need to look at is relief pitching, mainly closer. I have 3 candidates for this position. Brad Hand, Alex Colome, and Liam Hendricks. Hendricks is an interesting case because, for such a dominant pitcher, he did not receive a qualifying offer from the A’s. He could be a bit hefty for price and might be out of Bloom’s range, but at some point, he will have to spend some money somewhere. Hendricks could be that person.
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Alex Colome could be a good looking pick up for Bloom. He would help tremendously with the backend of the bullpen. In 22.1 innings throughout the 2020 season, Colome had a 0.81 era with 16 strikeouts. That’s better than any pitcher that was in the bullpen for the Sox in 2020 or 2019. He also had 12 saves in 13 opportunities. Granted, for a closer to get a save, the starting pitcher needs to be able to keep the team in contention. But, if the Sox get another starting pitcher, that could help in this predicament.
The Indians rejected the club option of $10 million on Brad Hand and it was a bit surprising to most of MLB. The one thing that concerns me is that the Indians didn’t think it was a good idea to pick up that option and then no one jumped on it. Is there something going on with him that we as fans do not know about?
Maybe it really is nothing and everyone is just waiting on other teams to make the moves. If that is the case, Hand would be a good addition to the Red Sox bullpen. Hand had 16 saves in 16 opportunities in 2020 while posting a 2.05 era. Not one blown save which is something that the Sox haven’t had in some time. An actual closer who can close out a game.
Next. Five Black Friday bargains in Free Agency. dark
There are other candidates that are free agents and might bring some interest from the Red Sox, but if you’re trying to think like Chaim Bloom, these players might be the ones to entice you the most. Players that have the qualifying offers attached to them are probably not going to widen Bloom’s eyes as he is trying to build the farm. But with pressure coming from his bosses to right the ship, his hand may be forced into losing some picks to bring back wins.