Few teams have been involved in as many free agents' markets as the Boston Red Sox, who hope to make a splash after years of lackluster offseason performances and playoff misses.
Some fans and experts have had a difficult time taking Boston seriously as a contender for some of the top available names. However, some MLB insiders have alleged that the Sox's "interest" could end up being more this year.
MLB insiders Jeff Passan of ESPN and Bob Nightengale of USA Today have suggested that the Red Sox want to bring in not one, but two top-tier starting pitchers. They each provided different methods for their acquisition of the aces.
Passan believes Boston could sign one of the available elite starters and trade for one with its surplus of young position player talent.
“They could very easily go and sign Max Fried and then trade for Garrett Crochet. That is not an unrealistic possibility,” he said.
MLB insiders Jeff Passan and Bob Nightengale believe the Red Sox could bring in two elite starters this offseason
MLB rumors: Juan Soto, trade markets take shape before Thanksgiving https://t.co/MuUeaVUhaF
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) November 25, 2024
Even if they hadn't slashed payroll and limited spending in recent years, the Red Sox could afford to do both of those things. Now that the Sox have cut their budget and stockpiled young players and prospects, they have even more resources to make multiple blockbuster deals — and fewer excuses to avoid them.
Nightengale proposed that Boston could sign two of the available aces on the free agent market. He emphasized that it hopes to sign at least one lefty, such as Fried or Blake Snell. The Sox's interest in Corbin Burnes has also been confirmed, and if they act on any of their links, their rotation will be in a much better place in 2025.
For the first time in a long time, the Red Sox are talking like a big market team. Their commitment to signing Juan Soto could bode well for their pitching chases — if they're willing to spend around $600 million to sign Soto, they'll have plenty of money to sign at least one of the many available aces if they miss.
Nightengale mentioned that the Red Sox wouldn't be so vocal about their spending plans if they had no intention of following through. In recent offseasons, the front office has been tight-lipped about any impending payroll changes, but the swift change in philosophy also suggests a positive change in budget. Passan and Nightengale's certainty that Boston will make a big move is great news for Red Sox fans who've wished for additions for years.