Boston Red Sox Offseason To-Do List
The Boston Red Sox were unceremoniously bounced from the postseason by the Cleveland Indians (ok, Andrew Miller) this October, but they still have some great building blocks in place that should see the Sox in contention for at least a postseason berth yet again in 2017.
That said, of course there are areas in which the Boston Red Sox can improve this winter, and we’ll get to those. But first, let’s take a look at which players will be hitting free agency and where the team ranked in some important facets.
Free Agents: Aaron Hill (34), Koji Uehara (41), Brad Ziegler (37), Junichi Tazawa (30), Casey Janssen (35). Aside from Hill, the other four names on the list are relievers, and three of those four are well into their 30s.
The most significant loss for the club will be David Ortiz missing from their lineup on a daily basis. Players with a .401 on-base percentage don’t grow on trees, especially ones that combine power and plate discipline while being a leader in the clubhouse. Papi’s departure will create a void in the middle of the Red Sox lineup, which is probably the most unnecessary sentence you’ll read this offseason, but with the right approach, the front office can certainly minimize the effect that departure will have in 2017.
In terms of rankings, the Sox were near the top in nearly every offensive category. They ranked 9th in homers (208), 1st in batting average (.282), 1st in OBP (.348), 1st in wOBA (.346) and 1st in wRC+ with a 113. They were even 7th in base running. Yeah, the 2016 Sox were pretty good with the bats.
On the rubber, they ranked 9th in ERA (4.00) and had the same FIP, but dropped a spot in the rankings. The relievers held a 3.56 ERA (9th) while the starters came in with a 4.22 ERA which ranked 8th.
Defensively the club ranked 4th in DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) with 48, sticking very close to the second and third teams on the list in Houston and San Francisco (51, 50) but with a large gap between themselves and the first place Cubs who saved 82, and the fifth place Angels who saved 31.
The obvious holes to fill will be an arm for the rotation, some bullpen upgrades and a replacement for Ortiz. So here are some options that could set them up for contention in 2017.
Full-Time or Platoon?
The biggest question when it comes to replacing Big Papi will be whether or not Boston Red Sox management is looking for a full-time DH like they had with Ortiz, or looking to implement a slew of players like many other teams around the league are doing these days. They should use the spot as a half day for regular players, or defensive liabilities, but there is no guarantee that’s the plan moving forward.
Of course, if the Sox would like one bat to fill that spot in the lineup, there are two big bats that could do the job, and Boston has seen plenty of both.
The first is Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 42 bombs and drove in 127 in 2016. The Blue Jays are likely to re-sign either Encarnacion or Jose Bautista, with Edwin being the more likely of the two. If the Sox can make a run at him, they should, but on their terms.
The second full-time option is Mark Trumbo, who adjusted his swing heading into this season and saw it pay big dividends en route to a 47 home run, 108 RBI performance.
Both can play in the field, but wouldn’t necessarily have to, and both are right-handed bats that could presumably abuse the Green Monster in left.
If the Red Sox are looking for internal options, moving Travis Shaw over to first to make way for Yoan Moncada at third would make some sense, while having Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval rotate turns in the DH spot. Shaw at first also represents a defensive upgrade over Hanley.
With Moncada in the lineup, the roster would take on a different look as his speed is one of his biggest weapons, and he would essentially be replacing the less than speedy Ortiz in the lineup. This could lead to a minor change in philosophy in Boston where speed takes on more of a starring role. It’s tough to see the Boston Red Sox spending more money on a full-time DH when they already have a couple of highly paid options to take over those at-bats. Adding a big bat would help the offense in the short-term, but could also stall the development of some of their younger players that are on the cusp of making their debuts.
No Closers Needed
With Craig Kimbrel already in tow, there is no real need for the Boston Red Sox to go after one of the big names in the relief market–Aroldis Chapman, Mark Melancon or Kenley Jansen–this winter. It’s doubtful that any of these three would sign on to be Kimbrel’s setup man, although the show that the Cleveland Indians have been putting on with Andrew Miller may change some minds if the money is right.
Jansen would be the most likely to sign on to the idea, operating as an eighth inning guy that can swallow up some outs in the seventh as well, but the money would have to be right. The Los Angeles Dodgers will have to end up with one of these three by the time next season is underway if they hope to compete, and they likely have their sights set on bringing back Jansen.
So on with the search.
The two relievers that could be worth brining back are Uehara or Ziegler, since both players ranked in the Sox top four in reliever’s WAR in 2016 with Kimbrel and Robbie Ross being the other two.
If the Sox look to go in another direction, Santiago Casilla and Sergio Romo could be nice options with experience, although if Casilla struggles like he did in San Francisco he’ll be eaten alive by the Fenway Faithful.
Other options include LHP Jerry Blevins (11.14 K/9, 2.79 ERA), LHP Boone Logan (11.07, 3.23 FIP) and a buy-low candidate in Drew Storen, whose FIP was a run lower than his 5.23 ERA. Each of these three should be available on short-term deals with little financial implication.
Add a Starter, But of What Caliber?
The Boston Red Sox rotation heading into 2017 will consist of the following: David Price, Rick Porcello, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez and Steven Wright. Well, that’s the rotation I’d work with anyway. While this wouldn’t be a popular move, considering it takes away depth from an area that has already some question marks, picking up the team option on Clay Buchholz seems like a must, but then the team should field some offers for him. With one year left on his deal, and coming off of a poor season they may not get a ton in return, but he’s an intriguing proposition to other teams and a tiresome inconsistent performer in Boston.
Even without Buchholz, the Sox would have Henry Owens, who is no sure bet either, but represents some depth if the former first rounder can starting putting it together. But it’s definitely not enough. Chandler Shepherd, the team’s number 18 prospect, could also be worth a look a little later in the season.
In free agency, Rich Hill could be persuaded into a reunion, but he missed quite a bit of time in his own right this season. Ivan Nova could be an intriguing option on the market, but the big worry with him was whether or not his stint with the Pirates can be sustained without the guidance of Ray Searage. Jeremy Hellickson is the cream of the free agent crop, but offering him a long-term deal would be a mistake.
Henderson Alvarez elected free agency after Oakland outrighted him to the minors, and if he is used as a depth option, he could be a great buy-low option.
Of course, there is always the trade market. Chris Sale would obviously be a great fit and would help account for Wright, if he is unable to duplicate his spectacular season. The problem would be the price tag attached to Sale, who, regardless of his namesake, would not come at a discount. One or two players that are looked upon to be key contributors moving forward (perhaps Jackie Bradley and Moncada) would have to be included to get talks started.
Chris Archer and Sonny Gray are other names that have been floated around, and while adding young talent to each team’s roster would likely benefit each club in the long run, selling those trades to their fan bases (especially in Oakland, who notoriously traded away Josh Donaldson) would be rough. Each team would likely be after Rodriguez, as they covet pitching, but he could be a long-term asset for the Boston Red Sox as he continues to develop.
Next: Giants Offseason Priorities
There isn’t going to be an easy answer to solving this riddle in the coming months. Tough decisions will have to be made if the trade routes open. For me, sticking with the young core makes the most sense. Yes, David Price has had his struggles in the postseason, be he isn’t going anywhere. Neither is Porcello. Adding Hill this winter would be the best option as it would give the club a solid middle-to-back-end starter while keeping the band together for another run. They could always adjust course at the trade deadline if necessary.