As the offseason ticks by, it seems less and less likely that the Boston Red Sox will pay top dollar for elite rotation reinforcements.
MLB insider Jeff Passan's latest reporting suggests the Sox are out on Corbin Burnes, but plenty of mid-tier free agents remain for their signing pleasure. Five-year Red Sox Nick Pivetta is among them. Tom Caron and Alex Speier of NESN's "310 to Left" podcast said the organization "very much still " Pivetta.
Boston made Pivetta a qualifying offer early this offseason, which he declined to pursue his free agent market that has been characterized as "surprisingly strong." The Reds, Blue Jays and Mets are also rumored to be interested in the veteran.
Red Sox among the teams interested in Nick Pivetta, including division rivals
At November's General Manager meetings, Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow attested that he hopes to "raise the ceiling" of the rotation. Trading for Garrett Crochet instantly improved the pitching staff, but re-signing Pivetta doesn't align with Breslow's stated desires.
Pivetta gave up a career-high 28 homers last season and has never posted an ERA under 4.00 in his eight years in the big leagues. He would not constitute the upgrade to the rotation Red Sox fans feel they were promised.
Nolan Arenado declines trade to the Astros, could have ripple effects on Red Sox offseason, Alex Bregman's market
Nolan Arenado is unwilling to waive his no-trade clause to join the Houston Astros, at least for now. That decision, first reported by @mlb dot com, is not final, and the Cardinals and Astros will continue conversations.
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) December 18, 2024
More here w/ @Chandler_Rome https://t.co/TxLA6NUFPK
The St. Louis Cardinals are trying to offload some salary this winter and the team is shopping veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado to do it.
Arenado has a no-trade clause in his contract, but the Red Sox are among the short list of teams he'd be willing to accept a move to. The Houston Astros did not make the list, and Arenado, on Dec. 18, declined a trade to the club.
The third baseman remains on the trade block for Boston to pursue to step up the infield, but the Astros' loss of their preferred infield target could mean they'll step up their efforts to re-sign Alex Bregman. He had been with Houston for nine seasons before becoming a free agent this winter. Bregman has already declined a six-year, $156 million offer from Houston.
There have been mixed reports about Boston's level of interest in Bregman, but if it does want the infielder and his outstanding success at Fenway Park, it may have to act fast before the Astros make a more compelling offer. Arenado is also still on the table as an infield upgrade, but he's not as well suited to second base and his bat has declined more than Bregman's in recent years.