As the New Year approaches, the Boston Red Sox are actively pursuing updates in their free agency, showing particular interest in outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, with a potential 4-year deal in the works. Both the Red Sox and the Angels are interested in Hernandez. The Red Sox are reportedly also seeking to improve their rotation, but this has not deterred them from exploring other areas for additions. Recently, the team made a significant move by signing a veteran right-handed pitcher, Giolito, who is seen as a reclamation project with the potential to bolster the rotation. Giolito, who had an ERA+ of 86 and allowed 65 HRs over the last two seasons, is considered to have considerable upside if he can recover from his recent struggles, including a challenging second half of the last season. Despite a 4.90 ERA in 2022, there are expectations that Giolito could rebound to a 2.5 WAR season, though he has the potential for a 4+ WAR season. This is seen as an incremental improvement, as he is replacing a roughly 2 WAR spot in the rotation. The Red Sox have also made a strategic financial move, saving $10.5M, and acquired a young second baseman, which opens up more options for them in the free agency market and trade discussions.
Putting $17M in the deal helps the Red Sox in the long term, not so much 2024, but they get a young second baseman who should hit, comes with good Braves recommendation and w/ Casas, Grissom, Devers and Story won't need to play every stray middle infielder and sign a mid-30s 2B
Red Sox can use $10.5M savings to go back into FA pitching market for more and can now more freely dangle middle infield prospects in trade talks for starters. Grissom should be the everyday 2B. So one hole plugged, another opened with this and plenty of options on the table.
#Braves offseason needs: ✅️ Address rotation ✅️ Address bullpen ✅️ Address left field Obviously, the rotation still needs more longer term work, but the winter shopping list appears to be pretty well rounded out. There will still be a few more moves to fill the 40-man.
The #Reds bolster their rotation with another notable free agent signing: https://t.co/zRPs2RMdhd https://t.co/TdqtwTGq4N https://t.co/X57tfgyd1d
The #Reds bolster with rotation with another notable free agent signing: https://t.co/zRPs2RMdhd https://t.co/TdqtwTGq4N
I wrote this week about how BOS needed to add a RH hitting IF and had the money but not necessarily the rotation spots for multiple FA starters. BOS signed Giolito right after this posted. Now another rotation spot is open with the infield spot filled 👀 https://t.co/jksWWOVPhl https://t.co/oCRjBjHYvj https://t.co/8O8FKz7S9T
With the Red Sox adding another bat to the mix, and further depleting their rotation, seems even more likely that they are going to move a bat for some pitching. They have been one team that has made a lot of sense for a potential deal with the Giants. https://t.co/Kn4IPUGiHu
ICYMI yesterday, the #WhiteSox added some pitching depth: https://t.co/aIhDtW1jER https://t.co/1bwyNTNoBt
White Sox cast wide net around starting-pitcher possibilities 👇 https://t.co/ICeWiL0Cq8
#WhiteSox bring in former #Mariners, #Rockies starter on one-year deal https://t.co/aIhDtW1Rup https://t.co/HltsqONusF
Giolito has the stuff and durability upside to bounce back with a 4+ WAR season in 2024, but public projections have him rebounding with a more modest 2.5 WAR or so. The problem is he's not replacing a 0 WAR spot, he's bumping a ~2 WAR guy out of the rotation. Incremental.
All this talk about Giolito bouncing back from his nightmare second half seems to gloss right over the fact that he had a 4.90 ERA in 2022 (though he had COVID then, so who knows).
On @mlbtraderumors, Giolito was listed as the 8th-best FA starter available. He has an ERA+ of 86 the last two seasons with 65 HRs allowed. #RedSox need multiple starters, so seemingly more to be done. But at least it's something.
Updated FA Matrix with Giolito to the Red Sox, which hopefully actually gets the mid-level SP market moving: https://t.co/qoS3snn6NQ
Wrote about the Red Sox’ interest in Giolito as a reliable source of innings with considerable upside (No 2-3 starter) if he bounces back from a second-half struggle during which he dealt with a uniquely chaotic period https://t.co/ik5wGLYhJq
#RedSox add a veteran RHP starter - who is a bit of a reclamation project, but could a solid rotation guy! @wbz https://t.co/TTRcg9CAQ5
lOOKS LIKE #rEDsOX HAVE Looks like the #RedSox have finally made a free agent signing, per @JonHeyman - @wbz https://t.co/mXwL9oHzjh
After settling of dust and sober analysis by #Braves officials convinced them that their offense is championship caliber, and the rotation is far from a weakness that must be improved at any cost, it seems a couple of less-sexy offseason plans emerged: https://t.co/Qvf2b5HWmG
#Braves add some depth. https://t.co/HxYLkXeQpC https://t.co/FsEWVII31W
While the #RedSox are reportedly focused on improving their rotation, that's not stopping them from looking into additions in other areas: https://t.co/GWvneIS1G1 https://t.co/eedhHl6Mnf
Chris Cotillo just posted an article on some Red Sox free agency updates. Here are my thoughts. - The Red Sox are still very much interested in Teoscar Hernandez as an OF option, as are the Angels, and he’s hoping to wrap it up soon with a 4 year deal. Someone I trust has also… https://t.co/4dtMod5XAf
Spent much of the week asking people around baseball the same question: What are the Red Sox up to? Through conversations with dozens of sources, here's a look at where they stand in free agency as New Year's Day approaches: https://t.co/MhGR9tlnLl