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3 unexpected free-agent signings Red Sox could make this offseason

By Gabrielle Starr

Sep 27, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (31) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2022; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Anderson (31) throws a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Who will be the Red Sox’ surprise free-agent signings this offseason?

The 2023 Boston Red Sox will be a drastically different team than the one so haphazardly assembled in 2022.

Several players are gone via free agency and hopefully, more will follow if the Sox finally cut the cord at the non-tender deadline.

Who will replace those who’ve departed? Here are three somewhat unexpected free agents the Sox might target this offseason…

Tyler Anderson

Even though the Red Sox are putting Garrett Whitlock in the starting rotation next year along with Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, and James Paxton, Jon Morosi reported Thursday that the Sox are one of the teams interested in Anderson.

Before this season, the numbers would suggest that Anderson was a pretty mediocre pitcher. Over 117 career games between 2016-21, he had a 4.62 ERA, 4.43 FIP, and 1.315 WHIP. Opposing batters hit .264/.318/.459 against him. He spent the first four years of his big-league career with the Colorado Rockies before pitching for the San Francisco Giants in 2020 and splitting the 2021 season between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners, who acquired him at the deadline.

But Anderson is coming off a strong season in Los Angeles, a breakout year at the age of 32. The southpaw was an All-Star for the first time in 2022, posting a career-best 2.57 ERA over 30 games, including 28 starts. He succeeded by inducing soft contact, because he’s not a huge strikeout guy, and he introduced a revamped changeup. During the Dodgers’ shortlived postseason run, he pitched five shutout innings to start the deciding game.

Anderson will turn 33 at the end of December, so he’s likely looking to capitalize on his recent success in SoCal with a longer-term deal than the QO the Dodgers extended. The Sox can absolutely afford to sign him. The question is, will he be worth it?

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