Tag: Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are one of the wealthiest teams in Major League Baseball, with a history of big spending in the free-agent market.

Over the years, they’ve made some massive signings, adding big names to their roster. However, not every high-priced acquisition has worked out as expected.

Several players the Red Sox have signed for big contracts have underperformed, leaving fans and critics to wonder if the team is spending its money in the right way.

In recent seasons, the Red Sox have made multiple moves that haven’t paid off. One of the most notable missteps was the signing of pitcher Chris Sale in 2017 to a five-year, $145 million contract extension.

While Sale was dominant in his early seasons with the team, injuries have derailed his performance over the last few years.

His ability to stay on the field has been a major concern, as he’s missed significant time due to elbow and shoulder injuries.

This investment has turned into a financial burden for the team, and Sale’s inability to contribute at a high level has raised questions about whether the Red Sox should have spent that money elsewhere.

Another questionable move was the acquisition of outfielder Carl Crawford in 2011. The Red Sox inked him to a seven-year, $142 million contract, expecting him to provide a major offensive boost. Crawford, however, struggled to adjust to the pressures of playing in Boston, posting disappointing numbers during his time with the team.

Worst deal in the history

After just two seasons, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a salary dump. The deal is widely regarded as one of the worst in Red Sox history, and it didn’t help that Crawford never lived up to the lofty expectations set by his big contract.

More recently, the Red Sox made a significant splash by signing slugger J.D. Martinez in 2018. Martinez was coming off a stellar season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Red Sox believed he would provide the offense they needed to complement their lineup.

While Martinez has had some impressive seasons, his performance has been inconsistent, especially in the last couple of years.

His struggles at the plate, coupled with his age, have made it unclear whether he’s worth the $110 million the team committed to him. With Martinez’s production declining, the Red Sox are left wondering if they could have spent that money more wisely.

In addition to these high-profile free-agent deals, the Red Sox have also invested heavily in players through trades. The acquisition of infielder Pablo Sandoval in 2014 is another example of a move that didn’t pan out as hoped.

Sandoval, who was signed to a five-year, $95 million contract, was expected to provide power and stability to the lineup.

However, his weight issues and poor performance on the field led to his release after just three seasons. Sandoval’s contract, much like Crawford’s, is viewed as a waste of resources that could have been better allocated elsewhere.

The common thread in many of these deals is the reliance on high-priced free agents or aging players who were coming off strong individual seasons. The Red Sox have often spent big money in hopes of immediate results, but these contracts have not always lived up to expectations.

In an era where teams are becoming more strategic with their spending and focusing on younger, more cost-effective talent, the Red Sox’s approach has raised eyebrows.

Bleeding Money

One of the issues with spending large sums on free agents is that it often locks a team into long-term commitments. This limits flexibility in the future and can leave a team vulnerable if a player’s performance declines or they are unable to stay healthy.

For example, when Sale and Crawford were signed, both seemed like the right moves at the time. However, injuries and inconsistent play have made those deals tough to swallow.

The Red Sox’s spending habits have also been criticized for lacking a clear long-term vision. While it’s understandable to want to win now, investing heavily in aging players or high-risk contracts can be detrimental to building a sustainable and successful team.

The focus on short-term success has prevented the team from fully embracing a more balanced approach that combines smart investments in younger talent with the occasional big signing.

As the Red Sox continue to build their roster, it’s important for them to rethink their approach to spending.

In a league where analytics and player development are becoming increasingly important, the Red Sox need to find a way to blend big-money signings with a sustainable strategy that ensures long-term success.

With the team’s rich history and large fanbase, there’s no reason why the Red Sox can’t find the right balance between spending and building for the future.

The Boston Red Sox traded for catcher and outfielder Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, and this move likely signals that they are set at the catcher position for the start of the 2025 season.

While they might look to add another player closer to the trade deadline depending on how the season progresses, the team is expected to enter spring training with Connor Wong as the starting catcher, while Sabol and Carlos Narvaez will compete for the backup spot.

The Red Sox have a lot of infield depth, both on the major league roster and in the minors. Considering this, it may have made more sense to use shortstop Marcelo Mayer in a trade package for Garrett Crochet, rather than catcher Kyle Teel. The Red Sox could have also used such a trade to pursue a veteran third baseman.

However, despite the White Sox already having a catcher of the future in Edgar Quero, they preferred Teel over Mayer. While Boston needed to make this trade, the addition of a strong starting pitcher like Crochet resulted in the loss of a promising young catcher in Teel.

Currently, the Red Sox have limited depth in their farm system at catcher. Connor Wong has four years remaining before he hits free agency, but his potential beyond his current performance is uncertain. At 29, Wong has only played two full seasons in the majors and hit .280 in 2024.

However, his batting average was helped by good luck on balls in play, as Statcast gave him a .231 expected batting average. Additionally, his defensive performance declined from 2023 to 2024.

Instead of trying to secure a veteran catcher from the weak free-agent market, the Red Sox decided to acquire younger catchers in Carlos Narvaez and Blake Sabol. This move makes more sense given the lack of solid options available on the market.

Danny Jansen, for example, was the highest-paid catcher this offseason with an $8.5 million contract for one year, but he struggled during his time in Boston. Older catchers like Kyle Higashioka and Travis d’Arnaud received the next substantial contracts, but most of the free-agent catcher pool included players like James McCann, Yasmani Grandal, and Elias Diaz, who were not ideal solutions for the team.

With Kyle Teel now traded away, the Red Sox are unlikely to find their future starting catcher from within the organization. Nathan Hickey’s stock has fallen, and Johanfran Garcia, a promising 20-year-old catcher, is still recovering from an ACL injury and is years away from being ready.

Brooks Brannon, another young catcher, is currently playing in Low-A and may not remain behind the plate for long. The team might look to repeat their “Teel Route” by selecting a college catcher in the 2025 MLB Draft, hoping to develop him into a starting option by 2027.

Looking ahead, free-agent catchers like J.T. Realmuto and Mitch Garver will be available in a year, but they will both be in their mid-30s. While Realmuto still has talent, it is hard to see the Red Sox investing heavily in a top-tier free agent until it happens.

For the time being, the Red Sox have a short-term plan for their catcher situation, with Wong, Sabol, and Narvaez as their main options. However, they will need to start planning for the long-term future at the position.

Jarren Duran, an All-Star outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, and the team reached an agreement on Friday to avoid arbitration. The deal is a one-year contract worth $3.85 million, with an $8 million team option for 2026.

Duran will earn a salary of $3.75 million this year, and if the team exercises the 2026 option, the buyout would be $100,000.

The option price can increase depending on Duran’s performance. If he finishes in the top 20 in MVP voting, the option rises to $9 million, and it would go to $10 million if he finishes in the top 10.

If he ranks in the top five, the price goes up to $11 million, and if he wins the MVP award, the option would be worth $12 million. However, if he doesn’t finish in the top 20 but is named to the second team All-MLB, the option would be set at $8.5 million.

Duran has the opportunity to earn up to $150,000 in performance bonuses this year based on his plate appearances. He can earn $50,000 each for reaching 450, 500, and 550 plate appearances.

If Duran is traded, the option would be canceled, and the team that acquires him would owe him a $100,000 assignment bonus.

Duran, who is eligible for arbitration for the first time, had initially requested a raise from his $760,000 salary to $4 million. The Red Sox had offered him $3.5 million when figures were exchanged last week.

Last season, Duran finished eighth in MVP voting after hitting .285, with 21 home runs, 75 RBIs, 34 stolen bases, 48 doubles, and 111 runs.

There are still 15 players who are on track for arbitration hearings.

The Boston Red Sox, who had trouble finding five reliable starting pitchers last season, are now considering using a six-man rotation in 2025.

“We have had some conversations,” said Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow on Monday, after trading for starter Garrett Crochet and signing free agents Patrick Sandoval and Walker Buehler.

“We’re very, very open to a number of solutions,” Breslow added. “I don’t think it’s possible to have too much starting pitching depth, and we know we’re going to call on more than just five guys — whether that’s right out of the gates or at some point during the season. But the schedule early in the season potentially lends itself to maybe using a sixth starter.”

The Red Sox entered last season without two possible aces, having traded future NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale to Atlanta right before Lucas Giolito injured his elbow in spring training, causing him to miss the whole season.

Although the team was close to competing around the All-Star break, their starting pitching struggled in the second half, weakening the bullpen and leaving the team out of the playoffs for a third consecutive year.

However, Breslow has worked hard to add starters this offseason.

In a trade during the winter meetings, the Red Sox acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. The hard-throwing left-hander went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts for a Chicago team that finished with the most losses since 1900.

The Red Sox have also signed Buehler, a two-time All-Star who pitched when the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series, and Sandoval, who is recovering from elbow surgery.

“I think it gave us a chance to take a really good rotation and potentially catapult it into an elite level,” Breslow said on a call with reporters.

Buehler, 30, went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA in 2024 after missing the previous year recovering from Tommy John surgery. However, in the postseason, he went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and a save, retiring the side in order and striking out the last two batters in Game 5 of the Series against the New York Yankees to protect a 7-6 lead.

Sandoval, 28, went 2-8 with a 5.08 ERA for the Los Angeles Angels before injuring his elbow in June while facing Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers. “We’re hopeful he’s going to be able to help this team in the second half,” said Breslow.

These new pitchers join a rotation that already includes Giolito, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello, and Garrett Whitlock.

“We feel like we’ve got not just five or six starters, but eight or 10,” Breslow said. “We’ve got to feel pretty good about where we are now.”

Breslow said he is now focusing on balancing Boston’s lefty-heavy lineup and improving the bullpen. What’s not being considered right now is trading 24-year-old first baseman Triston Casas, who batted .241 with 13 home runs and 32 RBIs while missing nearly two months due to torn cartilage in his rib cage.

“We’re not shopping Triston. We’re really excited for him to be completely healthy,” Breslow said. “When you have really good young players, I don’t think it’s a surprise other teams may ask about him.”

Trading Casas could allow the Red Sox to move Rafael Devers, who has made 141 errors in 951 games at third base, to first base.

“Raffy is our third baseman,” Breslow said. “That said, we’ll be open-minded, we’ll be creative in how we put together our best roster. But as things stand right now, Raffy’s our third baseman.”