Red Sox offseason begins with decisions looming within next 5 days
By Sean Penney
Red Sox won’t extend QO to these free agents
A handful of other players can now file for free agency but none of them are worth giving a qualifying offer to. That doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t return.
Adam Ottavino had a rough final month of the regular season to spoil his overall production but he was a key member of the bullpen for most of the year and recovered to contribute a solid postseason. He won’t be getting the same type of deal he did the last time he hit free agency but the Red Sox would have interest in bringing him back at a reduced price.
The Red Sox were criticized for not doing more to upgrade their pitching staff at the trade deadline but Hansel Robles turned out to be a pleasant surprise who pitched key innings for this bullpen down the stretch. Boston needs to add to their bullpen depth, which means letting a useful arm depart in free agency is counterproductive. His strong finish and experience as a closer might price him out of what the Red Sox are willing to pay for him though.
Jose Iglesias was scooped up off the scrap heap in September, returning him to the organization that he made his big league debut with about a decade ago. He was added too late to be eligible for the postseason roster but he impressed during his short stint at the end of the regular season, hitting .356 with a .915 OPS in 23 games. He’s worth considering as an option to bring back for cheap infield depth.
Travis Shaw is another former Red Sox player who was brought back with a waiver claim late in the season. He had some clutch hits down the stretch but he’s not a priority to retain with a logjam building in Boston’s infield.
His versatility and enticing tools made Danny Santana worth rolling the dice on with a minor league deal but it didn’t pan out. His 57 OPS+ isn’t convincing this team to save a roster spot for him.