Previewing the Difficult Red Sox Offseason Ahead
In 2019, the Boston Red Sox finished a disappointing 3rd in the AL East with a 84-78 record, missing out on the playoffs. One would think the Red Sox offseason plan could be to relax and regroup for next year. Unfortunately, they have an extremely difficult task with many core pieces facing uncertain futures.
First, let’s look at some major free agents for the Red Sox Offseason:
JD Martinez
Martinez had a good year once again, batting .304 with 36 HRs and 105 RBIs. He proved to be a crucial part of the middle of the lineup for Boston, even though he had a down year compared to last year. Still, Boston would sign up for .300, 30+ HRs and 100+ RBIs any day of the week.
However, Martinez has the ability to opt out of his contract for any of the next three seasons, beginning with this offseason. If he were to opt in, he would earn $23,750,000 this year. On September 29th, Martinez talked with Boston Globe reporter Pete Abraham, saying “I don’t mind moving around. I kind of like it.” This comment certainly looks bad for Boston, as it seems as though he wants to move on. If he does, Boston will look to replace him with a combination of Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts, two players who had excellent 2019 seasons.
Rick Porcello
Porcello had the worst season of his career in 2019, finishing with a 5.52 ERA. It’s doubtful Porcello will return for another season in Boston, as he is long from his 2016 Cy Young form. If they were to re-sign him, it would be at a much lower price than he earned in 2019 ($21,125,000). Boston will have to look for a cheaper option as their 5th starter this year to go along with a rotation of Chris Sale, David Price, Nathan Eovaldi, and Eduardo Rodriguez.
Mitch Moreland/Steve Pearce
Both Moreland and Pearce were key components to the 2018 Championship team, with Pearce winning World Series MVP. Moreland played only 91 games this year, but he carried the team through the first month of the season or so. Pearce, on the other hand, only played 29 games this year, struggling with back injuries throughout. It is unlikely that either of them will come back for another year in Boston, yet Moreland has a shot if they want a steady First Baseman with power.
For a replacement at first base, the Sox will look to bring up Bobby Dalbec, a 24-year old prospect currently in Triple-A Pawtucket. He had a good 2019, hitting 27 HRs along with 73 RBIs. The Boston front office is excited about his future, but are still planning on where he can play in the field. He was originally supposed to play third base, but nobody accounted for the break out year that Rafael Devers had this year. Therefore, he played 24 games at first base, practicing for a position that will likely open up this year. Also, if the Red Sox re-sign Brock Holt, look for Michael Chavis to get lots of playing time at first base, similar to this year.
Brock Holt
The aforementioned Holt is a fan-favorite in Boston, touted for being able to play 7 positions adequately. Along with his defensive flexibility, Holt had a career best average of .297 to go along with a solid .771 OPS. Boston fans have grown to love him over the past seven years, and they would certainly be heartbroken to let him go. Unfortunately, it looks more likely than not that the Red Sox move on from Holt, as he posted this Instagram post on October 1st, with the caption: “I am forever grateful for the past 7 years! It has been one hell of a ride! Don’t know what is next but I’m excited to find out. Until next time!” If they do not re-sign him, look for a combination of Michael Chavis and Marco Hernandez to get the majority of the time at Second Base.
Mookie Betts
Although not a free agent, Betts is the most important component of the offseason for the Red Sox. Mookie is set to be a free agent next offseason, as Boston only has one year of control left. Betts took a step down from his 2018 MVP season, yet he still had a slash line of .295/.391/.524 to go along with a .915 OPS. He hit 29 HRs with 80 RBIs, and also scored a career best 135 Runs. He did all this while playing Gold Glove defense in one of the hardest right fields in the Majors. He’s still the same 5 tool player and a bonafide superstar. Now, the Sox have to try their best to keep him. The Sox have to throw all the money they possibly can at Mookie this offseason, in an attempt to lock him up as the club’s franchise player. However, it will be extremely difficult to sign both Betts and Martinez this offseason, as their payroll is already extremely high. Therefore, it is likely that only one of Betts and Martinez will be on the team this year.
It is also possible that the Sox look for a trade involving Betts this winter if he does not want to re-sign. Although it will be met with much backlash, if he doesn’t want to sign back in Boston, there’s not much the front office can do. Therefore, the middle of December could include multiple reports about the Sox trying to shop Mookie. The front office believes in Mookie and understands how crucial he is to the team, it’s just that sometimes writing big checks is too difficult.
All in all, this Red Sox offseason is one of the most difficult ones to maneuver in recent memory, and the Boston front office has their work cut out for them.
-Andrew DiIorio @pizzatheecat
