HOW TO: Let's Fix The Failing Boston Red Sox
Let's step into the Red Sox front office and help these guys get back to the top of the AL East!
On the day that the Red Sox introduced Craig Breslow as their new chief baseball officer, team chairman Tom Werner made headlines when he vowed the team would be “full throttle” when it came to its approach this offseason and improving the team. This seemed to indicate that the team would again be willing to spend big in free agency in an effort to improve the roster.
Thus far, the Boston Red Sox have yet to be major buyers on the free agent market. The team has made few substantial moves which include the additions of Lucas Giolito, Tyler O’Neill and Vaughn Grissom while losing Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo. Chairman, Tom Werner had the following statement earlier today while being interviewed by MassLive reporter Sean McAdam.
“Maybe that wasn’t the most artful way of saying what I wanted to say,” Werner told MassLive by phone Tuesday afternoon, “which is that we’re going to be pressing all levers to improve the team. In the end, nobody’s happy with our performance the last few years. Some years, we go after somebody who is about to be a free agent, or was a free agent, as it pertains to Trevor Story or Raffy Devers.
“We felt very strongly that we were going to compete for Yamamoto’s services. But in the end, he went to another team. But we felt we were in the mix and we were going to be competitive. We certainly aren’t happy with the current roster as it was at the end of last year, so if I was going to say it again, I would say that we’re going to be pressing all levers and weren’t going to be happy with just one that includes free agency, trades or talent from Triple and Double A. I think that’s really what I meant.
“In the end, we don’t have a line in terms of our payroll that we look at as much as trusting that Craig is going to deliver on his assurance that we’re going to be competitive.”
Now, how can Craig Breslow and staff fix this Boston Red Sox team? Let’s dive into it!
Sign Jordan Montgomery/Blake Snell/Mike Clevinger
With the two big fish still on the market, the Red Sox need to make a splash to save their dwindling reputation. The team has been linked to both Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell all offseason.
After trading Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves earlier this month, there is a significant need for a front of the rotation starter. Both Montgomery and Snell could fill that role.
Snell would immediately elevate the ceiling for the Red Sox. He was excellent in 2023 for the San Diego Padres with a league-best 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings winning his second Cy Young award in the process.
Although Montgomery can't match Snell's two Cy Young awards and two ERA titles, he helped lead the Texas Rangers to the World Series last season after they acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals during a midseason trade.
In 32 appearances for the Cardinals and Rangers, he finished with a 3.20 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 188.2 innings. He was also excellent in the postseason with a 2.90 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 31 innings while leading the Rangers to a title.
Mike Clevinger has recently come out and expressed interest in playing for the Boston Red Sox. This comes after the Lucas Giolito signing who is close friends with Clevinger. Clevinger is coming off a 9-9 season with a 3.77 ERA and 7.5 K's per nine across 131.1 innings of work. His performance improved over the course of the season, as he held opponents to a .244 batting average and .296 on-base percentage in the second half of the campaign.
Trade for Shane Bieber/Dylan Cease
If the Red Sox fail to sign either one of Montgomery or Snell, looking to the trade market may not be a bad idea. Looking for a pitcher with team control may look better and more intriguing for the Red Sox on paper, but depleting the farm system or moving top prospects doesn't seem to be where the team is currently looking.
Shane Bieber and Corbin Burnes are certified top of the line arms who would bolster the Red Sox rotation significantly. Those are guys that sell out games with people going to specifically watch them compete.
Bieber has been in a bit of trouble with his health and consistency of staying on the field. Which is similar to Chris Sale which forced the team to move on from the once ace. So, the team may be afraid of his availability, but he performs when on the field. From the time of his full-season debut in 2019 until the end of the 2023 season, Bieber ranks 7th in fWAR among all qualified starting pitchers.
His best performance came during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, when he won the AL Cy Young as well as the pitching Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA.
Dylan Cease fits everything the Red Sox need. A young, controllable, stud starting pitcher. Throw in Cease’s age (28) and contract situation (under club control for two more years), and it’s easy to see why teams covet the White Sox ace. He’d immediately become Boston’s best starter for 2024.
Cease is coming off a so-so 2023, by his standards, but finished second in American League Cy Young voting in 2022. The right-hander posted a 3.54 ERA, a 3.40 FIP and a 1.257 WHIP while averaging 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 97 starts over the last three seasons.
For the Red Sox, it’s simply a matter of whether they have the guts to part with multiple top prospects. Acquiring Cease would go a long way toward stabilizing the rotation and boosting Boston’s overall outlook for 2024. The front office has made it pretty clear they won't be trading the team's top three prospects, Marcelo Mayer, Kyle Teel and Roman Anthony.
Re-Sign Justin Turner/Adam Duvall
Now this, this isn’t the sexy addition that Sox fans are looking for, but it’s a signing that we know what we’re getting. Via Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, the Red Sox have been in contact with both Duvall and Turner with a hole in the DH spot. Boston has become a very lefty heavy team this offseason. Duvall and Turner both being righties and pretty versatile could make things interesting for the Sox.
Turner appeared in 146 games and Duvall in 92 contests in 2023 for Boston. Turner hit .276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI. In turn, Duvall put up a .247 average with 21 home runs and 58 RBI.
At the trade deadline last season, many teams were calling on Justin Turner. JT was ultimately held onto by management due to the influence he had in the clubhouse and especially on the younger players with the club. Turner could be a fantastic addition back to the 2024 Sox as they look to get back into contention.
Lineup/Rotation Projections
Obviously, this roster isn’t fantastic and still has holes, but the young guys will be here soon enough, right? It seems as this Red Sox offseason will be another bridge year until guys like Marcelo Mayer, Blaze Jordan, Kyle Teel and Ceddanne Rafaela are ready to be major contributors in the bigs.
The versatility that the Red Sox seem to want will definitely be there with guys able to play multiple positions in the field and be able to split DH at-bats.
Lineup:
CF Jarren Duran
SS Trevor Story
1B Tristan Casas
3B Rafael Devers
DH Justin Turner / Adam Duvall
LF Masataka Yoshida
RF Tyler O’Neill
2B Vaughn Grissom
C Connor Wong
Rotation:
Blake Snell / Jordan Montgomery
Shane Bieber / Dylan Cease
Lucas Giolito
Bryan Bello
Nick Pivetta / Garrett Whitlock / Mike Clevinger