The Boston Red Sox need to make some major improvements this offseason to be competitive in the meat grinder that is the American League East.
Fans have heard that the Red Sox plan to be active in both the free agency and trade markets to improve the team this winter, and there are a few clear deficiencies that must be addressed before next year. After years of lackluster offseasons, Red Sox Nation is clamoring for blockbuster trades or signings from the front office, but this list covers more than fans' desired acquisitions.
Barring a massive signing, such as Juan Soto or Corbin Burnes, these are the upgrades that the Red Sox most need to make to optimize their roster.
What would a perfect offseason look like for the Red Sox?
1. Quality starting pitching
This is clearly the Red Sox' biggest hole. They ranked eighth-worst in MLB in runs allowed per game last season, which was bad enough to keep a team with a solid offense at exactly .500. Not only that, but Nick Pivetta, who ate over 145 innings last season, is a free agent. Tanner Houck showed promise and Brayan Bello should improve — or at least he'd better, since he'll be around for a while. Beyond that, their depth is weak, especially considering that the farm system is stacked with bats.
The good news is that both the free agent and trade markets are amply stocked with talented arms. Though the Red Sox likely won't be in the running for Burnes, there are several other options in the tier just below him, namely Max Fried and Shane Bieber, both of whom are hitting free agency for the first time. Boston has been rumored to be interested in Fried, and with the Cubs reportedly out of the running, the path to signing him has become clearer.
As for the trade market, Garrett Crochet is an obvious target and there's been heavy speculation around a potential trade. Jesús Luzardo is another enticing left-handed option, especially with the Marlins perpetually looking to cut payroll. He's not only talented but also more cost-effective compared to the other candidates listed.
2. Right-handed bats
The Red Sox offense isn't bad, but it is certainly lefty-heavy. Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida, Wilyer Abreu — the list of left-handed bats goes on and on. Not only that, but prospects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel are also left-handed. Since Fenway is so friendly to righties, it would make sense for the Red Sox to bring in some righty power, and they could even leverage one of their many lefties to make it happen in a trade.
With the Athletics announcing that they won't be trading Brent Rooker this offseason, some of the better options (besides Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman, who figure to be out of Boston's price range) are Willy Adames, Teoscar Hernández, and Ryan Mountcastle. The former two are free agents and, therefore, more expensive targets, while Mountcastle is a potential trade piece. It's hard to see the Red Sox making too big a splash in this realm, especially with pitching being the more immediate concern, but a savvy trade could pay dividends.
3. Protect organizational depth
This seems like an obvious one, but if the Red Sox are going to use the trade market, they'll have to use it wisely. In order to land some of the bigger trade targets, Boston will have to give up some prospects from its elite farm system. Again, it should go without saying, but guys at the top of that list like Anthony, Mayer and Kristian Campbell, should be off-limits to potential trade partners.
That's the formula — make a splash in the pitching market, find a righty bat or two, and protect the prospect pool. We'll see if Craig Breslow can make it happen.