Red Sox: Familiar faces in free agency could bolster Boston’s lineup
Former Red Sox RHP Rick Porcello
Rick Porcello was the definition of a roller coaster during his Red Sox tenure. For every good outing, there was a poor one sure to follow and for every Cy-Young caliber season, there’d be a .500 one coming down the pike. Two things that I’ve always appreciated about Porcello are his ability to be humble in victory and accountable in defeat. Never once did he want all of the sunshine or point the darkness at another player.
If he pitched well he’d often speak of how his defense backed him up or that the offense put the runs on the board that allowed him to relax on the mound. If he got shelled, it was all on him and he’d be the first to tell you that he didn’t execute the gameplan. That’s the definition of a locker room leader if I’ve ever seen one. I’m glad that after the career he’s had that he was finally able to win it all in 2018 before heading to free agency after 2019.
His is an interesting case as he was never shy about his desire to remain with the Red Sox and his love of the city. He would often bring up wanting an extension and even had an interest in taking a home-cooked deal to keep him with the team and still allow them to improve. Again, that’s what a leader does. However, the team never reciprocated that feeling even with the righty often mentioning a team-friendly deal.
Porcello had a rough year with the Mets in 2020, going 1-7 with a 5.64 ERA and 1.508 WHIP through 59 IP. He signed with New York for one-year/$10M that would end up earning him just over $3.7M thanks to the COVID adjusted salaries. That was already a massive pay cut for the righty based on his previous contract in Boston, add in the god-awful season and Bloom could probably get him for a steal.
In a perfect world, I’m sure Porcello would want something in the realm of what he was supposed to get in 2020 but his performance doesn’t warrant it. I think Bloom could bring him back to Boston with something in the neighborhood of 2-years/$14M.
It would be a raise from what he earned this year while not being insulting based on where he is at this point in his career. A veteran arm in a shaky rotation, even with his track record, could be the stability that the Red Sox need right now.
Former Red Sox LHP Martin Pérez
If you’ve read anything that I’ve written during 2020 then you know that I’m a guy that loves me some Martin Pérez. The lefty was the definition of a low expectation/high return signing this year and I still can’t figure out why the Red Sox haven’t re-signed him yet. I understand not wanting to activate his option as it was a bit high at $6.5M, but surely a deal could be done with a more reasonable salary.
A while ago Pérez was a guest on the Section-10 Podcast and he may go down as one of the best interviews ever. It was basically a love letter to Boston and Red Sox Nation. He also made it clear he hated the Yankees and wanted to finish his career at Fenway Park. Much like Porcello, he’d expressed a willingness to take a homecooked deal in order to remain with the team.
In a season where the Red Sox lost their three best pitchers, Martin proved to be one of the biggest acquisitions ahead of 2020. Despite a 3-5 record, he would be the most consistent starter Boston had this season. Though Nathan Eovaldi edged him out in wins (4), Pérez would lead the team in innings (62), doing what he could to preserve the bullpen when he was able to.
We still don’t know when Chris Sale will be making his return from Tommy John or what shape Eduardo Rodriguez will be in as he’s making his comeback from COVID/myocarditis. We very well could be starting the season similar to 2020 with a very empty starting rotation with just Eovaldi, Tanner Houck, and Nick Pivetta as guarantees.
Bringing back Martin to have another familiar face in the rotation would allow this pitching staff to pick up where it left off but with a better foundation to improve for 2021. It’s no secret that the starters were the worst in the league this past season so it may not seem appealing to bring a member of that staff back. But with the right deal, I’m thinking 3-years/$12M, it would save Boston money and give him the contract that could allow him to end his career with the team.
Former Red Sox CF Jackie Bradley Jr.
This is easily one of the ones that I hope happens the most out of my list, but it feels like it’s one hell of a longshot. Toward the end of his time in Boston, it felt like Jackie Bradley Jr. couldn’t get out of town fast enough, and not due to anything of his own doing. It was never a secret that the Red Sox wanted to trade JBJ as he was in any and every rumor imaginable each year. Nothing would ever come to fruition though and he saw his contract out to the final day.
Why do I think this may be a long shot? If the team that you played for was actively trying to get rid of you every year for your entire Major League career, would you want to return? I surely wouldn’t, but then again this situation is one that could be a win-win. It brings JBJ back to a city and team he knows which would also allow him to not shake his family up, while the Red Sox know exactly what they’re getting with him.
Now, we’ve heard the talks that the team and JBJ have been in contact with one another, while we’ve also heard that Boston is openly having trade talks for Andrew Benintendi. If the Red Sox do send Benny Biceps out of town then they’ll officially be without all three members of their championship-winning outfield.
The problem facing Bloom would be that he only has Alex Verdugo and Hunter Renfroe if Benintendi is traded. Turns out you need more than two outfielders if you want to be successful in this league.
Of the two, JBJ and Benny, I’d much rather have Jackie right now. He had a hell of a 2020, crushing it in spring training, summer camp, and the regular season where he slashed .283/.364/.450/.814 with 7 homers and 22 RBI.
Interestingly enough, it was one of Bradley’s best seasons in his career and could earn him a solid contract this winter. Considering what he did during the COVID wrecked campaign and the fact that he’s still a wizard on defense, I’d love to have him back in centerfield.
Something in the way of 2-years/$18M shaves some money off of the budget for the Red Sox while keeping JBJ in the ballpark of what he was supposed to earn in 2020 before the salary adjustments. As a guy that’s given his all for this team while not always getting that love back from the organization, I’d love to see him finish out his playing days in Boston.
Former Red Sox RF Kevin Pillar
Has there been a free agent signing that’s made more of an impact in their first month with a team than Kevin Pillar did in Boston? Obviously, I’m sure there has been but the recency bias with what he did in his short time with the Red Sox was wild. The man made a leaping catch slamming into the bullpen wall in his first damn play! If that doesn’t show the level of player that Pillar is then I don’t know what does. He racked up Web Gems on a nightly basis and wasn’t too shabby in the batter’s box either.
Sadly, his time with the team was cut short as he was traded to the Colorado Rockies at the deadline. Having spent just a month within the organization he didn’t get too much of a taste for the game at Fenway Park, especially with no fans allowed to attend. Just imagine a packed Fenway erupting as Pillar made another one of his routine diving catches, would’ve been beautiful.
His Red Sox tenure saw him post a .274/.325/.470/.795 line with 4 homers and 13 RBI. This offensive performance was one of the reasons he was such a strong trade piece at the deadline, add in his expiring contract and defensive prowess and it was a no-brainer seeing him shipped off.
It’s also why bringing him back should be just as much of an obvious move. Similar to JBJ, with this outfield in shambles right now having a veteran of his quality and caliber in the lineup every night would be a huge boost for Alex Cora.
If Benintendi gets traded and JBJ signs elsewhere, Boston will desperately need help in their outfield, and Pillar can supply that without breaking the bank. He saw his $4.25M salary chopped down to $657K and will likely want a bit of a raise in 2021.
This shouldn’t scare off the Red Sox whatsoever as they could offer something in the realm of 3-years/$12M. It would keep his AAV right at what he was supposed to earn this year and would also lock in a high-quality player for the foreseeable future on a bargain deal.
It’s right down the alley of Bloom who could always flip Pillar again down the road if the deal was right, but in the meantime would allow him to pass on JBJ and trade Benny without a second thought.
Former Red Sox infielders Brock Holt & Mitch Moreland
These two tug at the heartstrings and would be massive returns for the fans. When Brock Holt didn’t return ahead of 2020, Red Sox Nation was heartbroken as he had become a true ambassador for the city. His charity work is second to none and he has never shied away from his love of Boston. Holt has never been one to mince his words and he didn’t speak too highly of his time playing in 2020 with both the Brewers or Nationals.
He didn’t have negatives to say so much about the teams but for the sheer fact that the season was occurring in general. Holt and his wife welcomed their second child in 2020 and it was clear that he didn’t think this year needed to happen. One thing may have changed his mind and that would’ve been playing for the Red Sox.
Holt has never been one to light up the stat sheet but he’s someone that can build the clubhouse and unite a squad. He’s also the only player in MLB history to hit for the cycle in the postseason, so that’s pretty cool.
His salary isn’t one that Chaim Bloom should even blink over as he could bring Holt back to be his go-to utility man for damn near nothing. Holt only has a few years left and with a young family at home, he may not want something too long-term. An offer along the lines of two-years/$4M would keep him a bit under his recent salaries but could allow him to finish up where he wants to end his career.
For Mitch Moreland, he has had one hell of a run with the Red Sox and a great career overall. A power-hitting big man that can move like a cat over at first base is rare to find. Like Pillar, Moreland was dealt to a contender at the deadline for a return that could help Boston in the future. I want to bring Mitchy Two-Bags back to give Cora some wiggle room in regards to his infield.
We know that Bobby Dalbec and Rafael Devers have the corners on lock, but we also know that Devers has a rough history with errors and Bobby-D can play both positions. Bringing Moreland back into the fold would allow AC to give Raffy days off to reset, shift Dalbec to third, and have Mitch cover first. It would also allow Boston the opportunity to have a veteran first baseman mentor both Devers and Dalbec if the team were to ever swap the young infielders.
The 11-year veteran is in the final years of his career and likely won’t see big money coming his way from any team in the league. Despite being traded this past season, Boston still offers Moreland one of the best scenarios as far as a future deal is concerned.
He may not be an everyday player anymore but as a platoon guy at first and occasional DH, he offers great value for his cost. Give him two-years/$6M and let him ride off into the sunset at Fenway Park.
Red Sox can find value in familiar faces
This offseason has been a long and drawn out snore-fest as teams are waiting to pull the trigger on making signings. I understand why, as the longer they wait the more desperate the players will be which will swing the negotiating power back to the teams. Chaim Bloom and his team can avoid much of the headache in that arena by going after players that the organization knows all too well.
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None of the players I mentioned here should be offered long-term deals but they could all help the Red Sox better their current position in the present. Each player has their pros and cons but considering how Boston finished in 2020, a lot of those cons can be ignored if it means even one more check in the pro column. If Bloom really wants to keep the budget low and work this team into a contender, he has options on the board.
Where this goes from here is hard to see as I think many of us are trying our best to block 2020 out of our collective memories. Ending the season fourth from the absolute bottom is not acceptable from a team that dominated the league and won the World Series just two years prior. Going back to the well and re-signing former players may not be as sexy as bringing in a George Springer or Trevor Bauer, but it could be what’s best for business.
Next. Now's not the time to extend Devers. dark
Now that the CBT penalty marker is reset and Boston has themselves back in the good graces of the luxury tax, they won’t be in a hurry to trigger it right away. A handful of bargain bin deals for players that were successful for the Red Sox in the recent past can be a win-win for the team. It gives the organization good PR, and we all know these owners love them some good PR, and it keeps the bank account nice and full for better free-agent classes down the road.