Red Sox non-tender deadline: Boston could be headed to arbitration hearings

The 2024 non-tender deadline approaches, and the Boston Red Sox will have some decisions to make before Nov. 22.

Each offseason, teams have until a set date to determine whether or not they will issue contracts to their arbitration-eligible players for the upcoming campaign. When a player is not given a contract, they have been non-tendered.

The Red Sox are a relatively young team, with many of their players still under team control. Anyone who has signed an extension is safe from the upcoming proceedings, such as Brayan Bello and Ceddanne Rafaela, who both signed long-term last year.

Players are often non-tendered if their team believes their arbitration salary will be greater than their on-field value or to open a spot on the 40-man roster for a more promising player. Here are the Red Sox's non-tender candidates and their likelihood to secure a contract for next year (spoiler alert: they're all a lock for a deal). All it comes down to is if the Red Sox match up with the players' salary requests. And in this case, they might not for all three given the players' spectacular 2024 performances, so we could see at least one arbitration hearing.

When is MLB's non-tender deadline? Everything fans need to know

Jarren Duran

Jarren Duran posted an MVP-caliber season just before his first year of salary arbitration. The outfielder batted .285/.342/.492 with a .834 OPS, 48 doubles, 14 triples, 21 homers and 34 stolen bases. He also clocked exceptional defense that earned him a Gold Glove nomination.

Duran is guaranteed a contract for next season after his breakout year. MLB Trade Rumors predicts the outfielder will secure a $4.9 million paycheck in arbitration.

Tanner Houck

Like Duran, Tanner Houck is also a lock for a contract after posting a breakout season of his own. The 28-year-old logged a 3.12 ERA with 154 strikeouts and 48 walks over 178.2 innings and a career-high 30 starts. Houck developed a deadly sweeper that turned into his primary pitch as he took steps to become Boston's ace, of sorts.

MLBTR predicts Houck will be awarded a well-deserved $4.5 million salary in arbitration. After last season's progress, he should be a staple of Boston's rotation again in 2025.

Kutter Crawford

Kutter Crawford didn't break out the same way Houck did last season, but he made critical strides that will also guarantee him a contract for next year. The 28-year-old pitched to a 4.36 ERA with 175 strikeouts and 51 walks in 183.2 frames. He led Boston's rotation with 33 starts as one of three pitchers who made more than 30, alongside Houck and Bello.

MLBTR projects Crawford will land a $3.5 million deal in his first year of arbitration. If he can get his home run and walk counts down, he could also be a critical arm in the Sox's 2025 rotation.

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