Red Sox News Roundup: Pitching coach found, Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes, 40-man roster set, minor moves
Craig Breslow made several big decisions in his second full week on the job
We’re deep into the month of November. The dust has settled on the World Series and now all 30 MLB teams are in “offseason mode,” working to formulate signings, negotiate trades, and hire coaches.
Here are five storylines from a busy week for the Boston Red Sox.
Red Sox close to hiring Andrew Bailey as pitching coach
The Red Sox are reportedly “close” to finalizing a deal that would make former reliever Andrew Bailey their new pitching coach, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported this week.
Red Sox close to hiring Andrew Bailey as pitching coach, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 15, 2023
While the hiring has not been finalized or announced by the club, Bailey will be the newest member of the Red Sox’ coaching staff, barring something unforeseen.
Bailey had been the San Francisco Giants’ pitching coach since 2020, working to develop an impressively strong group of starters including Kevin Gausman, Carlos Rodón, and Logan Webb.
This is a significant addition for the Red Sox considering Bailey was considered one of this hiring cycle’s top pitching coach candidates. San Francisco had a chance to bring him back after his contract expired, and he also drew interest from the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. Luring Bailey to Boston despite competition from three playoff contenders represents a splash for Craig Breslow, the club’s new Chief Baseball Officer.
Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes
DraftKings Sportsbook adjusted its odds for free agent superstar Shohei Ohtani’s next landing spot. While the Red Sox made the list, their odds aren’t exactly favorable.
DraftKings puts the Red Sox at +1000 to sign Ohtani, giving them a worse chance than the Dodgers, Cubs, Giants, Mets, Yankees, and Rangers. The Dodgers at +110 is an eye-popping figure from the sportsbook. Not only is Los Angeles favored, but they are favored quite heavily. It’s rare to see a sportsbook put this much faith into a specific free agent and team pairing.
With that said, Ohtani to the Dodgers is nowhere near a foregone conclusion. The superstar will surely take his time and consider plenty of options (including location and the benefits of a long-term versus short-term deal) before putting pen to paper.
40-man roster set as Red Sox add two prospects, tender contracts
The Red Sox made a series of 40-man-roster-related moves this week in preparation for the Rule 5 draft and arbitration deadlines.
Pitching prospects Wikelman Gonzalez and Luis Perales were both added to the 40-man roster, protecting them from being selected in next month’s Rule 5 draft. Neither player is expected to reach the majors in 2024, but nevertheless, the Red Sox wanted to make sure they didn’t lose either up-and-coming hurler.
Notably, Boston chose not to protect Shane Drohan, a left-hander who pitched well with Double-A Portland before struggling upon his promotion to Worcester.
You can read more about the Rule 5 draft and Boston’s approach here.
The Red Sox also tendered contracts to Alex Verdugo, John Schreiber, Nick Pivetta, and Reese McGuire on Friday, picking up control of their contracts for the 2024 season. The club will head to arbitration with these players unless an extension is reached first. Eric Cole describes that entire process here.
Meanwhile, Boston did not tender a contract to pitcher Wyatt Mills. He is now a free agent.
Finally, Boston chose to move on from veteran infielder Luis Urias. Craig Breslow and his staff decided that Urias wasn't worth the $4.7 million that MLB Trade Rumors projected him to earn in 2024. However, instead of non-tendering him, Boston was able to trade Urias to the Mariners. You can find our coverage of the trade and compensation here.
Red Sox sign Helcris Olivarez to minor league deal
The Red Sox have signed 23-year-old left-handed pitcher Helcris Olivarez to a minor league contract. Olivarez is a former top Rockies prospect who missed all of 2023 with shoulder issues. When healthy, he was capable of hitting 100 mph with his fastball. However, most of his production with Colorado came at the Rookie level. He tossed less than 100 innings at High-A, totaling a 6.28 ERA, .328 BABIP, and 6.14 BB/9.
Breslow comes from a Cubs front office that invested significant resources into landing hard-throwing pitching prospects, and it looks like he is bringing that approach with him to Boston.
Even if Olivarez can rebound post-injury, he faces a lengthy return to reach the majors. However, significant upside exists.
Logan Gillaspie claimed off waivers by Padres
The Padres claimed right-handed pitcher Logan Gillaspie off waivers from the Red Sox. The former undrafted free agent started his career with Baltimore and progressed through the Orioles’ system, logging big-league innings in 2022 and 2023. He owns a 4.10 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, and 2.25 K/BB through 28 relief appearances in the majors.
Gillaspie was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox in September. The club assigned him to Worcester where he struck out four batters through 4.1 scoreless innings. He’ll compete for an MLB roster spot with the Padres during spring training.