The Boston Red Sox have been beefing up their pitching staff ahead of the 2025 season, adding big names to both the starting rotation and the bullpen.
The team still seeks bullpen reinforcements and there are still a few quality options remaining on the market. Two names we haven’t seen much smoke about on the market are 2024 Red Sox trade deadline acquisitions turned free agents Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia.
Garcia, a 37-year-old right-hander, was acquired from the Angels in exchange for four minor league players. Before arriving in Boston, Garcia posted a 3.71 ERA in 43.2 innings, striking out 40 batters and walking 14. His fortunes changed in Boston and he struggled before landing a spot on the injured list and failing to make an impact with his new club. In his time with Boston, Garcia’s ERA ballooned to 8.22 in 15.1 innings pitched.
Sims, a 30-year-old right-hander, came to Boston from Cincinnati for minor league pitcher Ovis Portes. Similar to Garcia, Sims struggled in Boston while also spending some time on the injured list. Also, like Garcia, his numbers took a turn for the worse with the Red Sox. The ERA jumped from 3.57 to 6.43 while allowing 10 earned runs in 14.0 innings pitched.
What do the free agent markets for Red Sox 2024 trade deadline additions Luis Garcia and Lucas Sims look like?
Both guys could potentially return and change their fortunes in Red Sox jerseys, but reunions don't seem particularly likely at the moment. Garcia and Sims haven't been connected to many — if any — teams this offseason after their rough stints in Boston.
Per Sportac, Garcia is projected to receive a one-year $1.4 million contract. Garcia has thrown right around 60 innings in each of the past 3 seasons (59 in 2024, 59.2 in 2023, and 61.0 in 2022) indicating he could eat up innings for the Sox If he manages to get his hits per nine innings and home runs per inning back to his career averages. He posted a 14.09 H/9 and 2.35 HR/9 with the Sox in 2024 while his career average is 8.81 and 0.87.
Bringing back Sims would be more of a stretch for the Red Sox. According to Spotrac, Sims is projected to receive a four-year deal worth $15.76 million.
Looking at Sims’s production year-over-year, he seems less likely to eat up the same innings as Garcia. Sims has only come close to 60 innings pitched twice in his career. His walks per nine trended up since 2022, and his HR/9 and H/9 have both trended up since 2022. The stat that does seem to justify a potential return for Sims is the rate at which he allowed inherited runners to score. In 2024, only nine of the 22 runners Sims inherited were allowed to score, with the Red Sox, none of the 11 runners he inherited scored.
Both guys have the potential to return and make an impact for the Sox in 2025. That being said, the vibe around the Sox doesn't suggest there's a ton of desire for them to return, and the lack of suitors, in general, doesn't bode well for either arm finding a home before spring training.