Sox’ free-agent wish list
How Bloom could fill club’s needs with $30M this winter
The Red Sox haven’t put any gifts under the tree, but at least they’ve added a couple of stocking-stuffers. With outfielder Hunter Renfroe ($3.1 million) and right-hander Matt Andriese ($1.85 million) their only two notable acquisitions thus far, the Sox still have plenty of holes to fill and loads of money to work with.
How much money? That’s the question of the winter as we get a chance to see what kind of freedom John Henry and Co. have given chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, who was in charge of shedding payroll just one year ago.
As currently constructed, the Red Sox roster would cost about $155 million. They haven’t had an Opening Day payroll under $184 million since 2014 and there’s little reason to expect they’d go back to that level now.
Using $185 million as a benchmark, the Sox should have at least $30 million of flexibility. Again, that’s a low number given they’ve spent over $233 million on their opening payrolls in both 2018 and 2019. But it’s just a benchmark.
What could the Red Sox do with $30 million in free agency this winter? We put together some Christmas lists to send to the North Pole (or Jersey Street):
The Nice List
(salaries via MLB Trade Rumors’ projections)
2B DJ LeMahieu, $17 million in 2021 (four years, $68 million)
RHP Garrett Richards, $8 million (two years, $16 million)
RHP Kirby Yates, $5 million (one year)
Total: $30 million Skinny: It’s hard to remember a free agent who so perfectly fit the Red Sox’ needs as LeMahieu does now. This is a team without a true leadoff hitter and LeMahieu has been among the game’s best two years in a row. The Sox don’t have a second baseman and LeMahieu is a three-time Gold Glove winner at second. The Sox have a lot of aggressive hitters who thrive on launch angle but don’t get on base consistently; LeMahieu is a pure contact hitter who smokes line drives all over the park. Manager Alex Cora is one of LeMahieu’s biggest fans. And there’s the added kicker that two of the teams most heavily linked to him are the Yankees and Blue Jays, who compete in the same division. He’s only 32 years old, which shouldn’t be overly concerning for a player who doesn’t rely on power or speed, but just quick hands and remarkable discipline. And while the Sox’ offense is already strong, LeMahieu could give them the kind of dominant and deep lineup they haven’t had since 2018, or 2011 before that. Richards is a starter candidate with elite fastball velocity and spin rate while Yates would give the bullpen a much-needed boost.
The Don’t-Forget-2018 List
RHP Corey Kluber, $12 million (one year)
OF Jackie Bradley Jr., $8 million (two years, $16 million)
2B Kolten Wong, $8 million (two years, $16 million)
RHP Yates, $5 million (one year) Total: $33 million Skinny: Why not take a chance on a two-time Cy Young Award winner who was 18-4 with a 2.25 ERA just two years ago? There are always concerns with shoulder issues, and Kluber suffered a Grade 2 tear of the teres muscle in his shoulder last season. But he’s having a normal offseason and is set to be ready for spring training, according to WEEI.com, setting the stage for Kluber to make an impact for a contending team. He lives in Massachusetts during offseasons and the Red Sox must be sick of facing him (current Sox have a .200 average and .536 OPS off him). It’s hard to imagine a better rotation if Kluber returns to form at the same time Chris Sale hits his stride one year after Tommy John surgery. The Sox love Bradley and wouldn’t mind keeping him in center field. Wong is a Dustin Pedroia-type at second base with elite range and a scrappy style of play. This combination would give the Sox an elite defensive unit and a chance to be just as strong off the mound.
The Naughty List
RHP Jake Odorizzi, $13 million (three years, $39 million)
RHP Trevor Rosenthal, $7 million
(two years, $14 million)
2B Jonathan Schoop, $4 million (one year, estimated)
OF Kevin Pillar, $3 million (one year, estimated)
RHP Brandon Kintzler, $3 million
(one year, estimated)
Total: $30 million Skinny: This is the naughty list because it seems terribly boring and lacks star power. Odorizzi, given the nickname “Pizza” by former Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks, is a consistent middle-of-the-rotation starter that every team needs. Rosenthal has been an elite reliever who could give Cora some flexibility in the back-end of his bullpen. Schoop screams of a Cora project; an all-or-nothing swing that can hit the ball a mile when he connects. Pillar is a known commodity and a good one with centerfield capabilities. Kintzler is just the kind of bargain reliever Bloom has been pursuing. There’s nothing wrong with this list; it’d make the Red Sox better and it would fill needs. It’s the equivalent of getting socks for Christmas. You need them, but do you really want them?