The Pink Sox misplaced to the Blue Jays tonight, minutes after wins by the Royals and Tigers. That formally eradicated Boston from playoff competition and turns their consideration fully to the offseason. Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow met with the Boston beat earlier than the sport. Whereas he didn’t go into too many specifics, he supplied a number of hints about the place the Sox may flip within the winter.
Breslow pointed to the rotation, bullpen and a want to stability a lefty-heavy lineup among the many areas of focus (hyperlink by way of Sean McAdam of MassLive). That not coincidentally overlaps with the Sox’s impending free brokers. Nick Pivetta, Tyler O’Neill, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Danny Jansen and Lucas Sims are all headed to the open market. That’s a pair of right-handed bats, one in all their prime starters, and a number of high-leverage relievers.
Requested about O’Neill particularly, Breslow mentioned the Sox are “undoubtedly concerned with having a few of these conversations” a few new deal (relayed by Alex Speier of the Boston Globe). Boston hit on a buy-low acquisition of the slugger from the Cardinals final offseason. O’Neill leads the group with 31 house runs and sports activities a .240/.335/.512 slash throughout 469 plate appearances. He had a trio of transient injured listing stints however has been one of many Sox’s greatest hitters when wholesome. O’Neill has been a very key piece of sustaining some quantity of lineup stability. He has obliterated lefty pitching at a .313/.429/.750 clip in 156 journeys to the plate. He’s tied with Aaron Choose for second in MLB (one behind Ketel Marte) with 16 house runs off southpaws.
O’Neill is eligible for a qualifying provide. There’s a superb likelihood the 29-year-old left fielder would settle for a one-year provide value greater than $21MM. That’d be a large bounce over this yr’s $5.85MM arbitration wage. The Sox could want a three- or four-year deal that comes at a extra manageable annual charge. O’Neill’s camp will in all probability look to prime the respective $42MM ensures secured by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jorge Soler final winter.
Even when they maintain O’Neill, that’d depart the Sox with the identical lefty-leaning lineup they trotted out this yr. They’ll want extra contributors by way of some mixture of free company, commerce and inside enchancment. Vaughn Grissom is likely one of the higher-upside righty bats already on the roster. Grissom’s first season in Boston was underwhelming, as he battled accidents and struggled for a lot of the yr. (Chris Sale, for whom the younger infielder was traded, pitching his strategy to the NL Cy Younger in Atlanta solely provides to the frustration.)
The Sox have cut up time at second base between Grissom and lefty-hitting Enmanuel Valdez with the season winding down. Breslow was noncommittal on whether or not the 23-year-old will enter subsequent season as the favourite at second base. “I believe he’s completely obtained the potential to try this,” the chief baseball officer mentioned of Grissom being an on a regular basis participant (by way of Speier). “However in the end it’s going to be the play on the sector that dictates who our on a regular basis second base is.”
Ha-Seong Kim, who’ll additionally draw consideration as a shortstop, and Gleyber Torres headline the free agent class at second base. Jonathan India will in all probability be the topic of commerce hypothesis but once more. It appears unlikely that the Sox would commit a ton of sources to the place. That’d impede Grissom and speedster David Hamilton subsequent season. With prime shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer probably on the radar for a 2025 debut, the keystone might be the long-term house for Trevor Story.
The pitching workers is a clearer space without cost agent funding. Jansen and Martin have been two of Alex Cora’s prime three leverage arms for the previous couple seasons. Rule 5 decide Justin Slaten shall be again within the late innings. Liam Hendriks needs to be wholesome and will compete with Slaten for the closing job. The Sox will in all probability search for a number of additions to solidify the setup corps in entrance of that duo. A reunion with Martin wouldn’t be stunning.
A rotation constructed round Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and hopefully a wholesome Lucas Giolito has promise. Richard Fitts has had respectable leads to his first 4 MLB begins. Pivetta has absorbed lots of innings whereas flashing strikeout stuff over the previous few years although. The Sox might want to substitute that quantity if he walks.
Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, Max Fried and Jack Flaherty headline the free agent rotation class. Sean Manaea, Nick Martinez, Luis Severino and outdated buddy Nathan Eovaldi (assuming he declines a $20MM participant choice with Texas) are among the many middle-tier starters who’d extra intently mirror final winter’s Giolito pickup.