Now that the 2018 baseball season is over and Boston Red Sox
players have retired to their couches and golf courses to enjoy the off-season,
eyes shift to 2019. While the team will return an impressive core, there is
always a desire to explore available players who may be able to improve on what
is already in place. Let’s take a look at some available free agents that could
be a good fit for Boston.
The 2019 Boston payroll is currently in excess of $155
million, which doesn’t take into account what players will earn through
arbitration and contract renewals. That figure rises to $211 million in salary
when using projections
for those without contracts at the moment. It’s important to also point out
that over $30 million are owed to Pablo
Sandoval, Manny
Ramirez and Rusney
Castillo, who are all long removed from the team. Castillo is still in the
Boston system, but will never get called up, as his onerous salary ($11+
million annually through 2020) is not
counted towards the luxury tax threshold as long as he remains off the
active and 40-man rosters.
With the luxury tax threshold expected to be at $206 million
in 2019, Boston is sure to once again be in the penalty box, but the question
will be, how far over are they willing to go? Perhaps some of these free agents
will be too tempting to pass up.
Marwin
Gonzalez, Infielder/Outfielder: There is not a clear need for this
jack-of-all-trades, so pursuing him on the open market would be out of pure
extravagance. However, the 29-year-old has shown an ability to play competently
at every position except catcher and pitcher in his seven year career with the
Houston Astros. He has also developed some pop in his bat, going from a singles
hitter earlier in his career to a someone who hit as many as 23 home runs in a
season as recently as 2017.
Gonzalez would be a great, albeit expensive, insurance
policy for Boston at second base. Dustin
Pedroia is coming back from yet another injury-riddled season and is on the
wrong side of 35. Backup option Eduardo
Nunez had a miserable 2018 on both sides of the ball. Gonzalez would make
such uncertainty much easier to deal with, while giving Boston someone who
could also step into many positions at a moment’s notice if necessary. The
question on fit would come down to money and Gonzalez’s desire for a guarantee
of playing time.
Nathan
Eovaldi, Starting Pitcher: Arriving this summer as a mid-season
acquisition, the right-handed flame thrower was impressive, posting a 3.33 ERA
in 12 regular season appearances and then emerging as a post-season hero (1.61
ERA starting and relieving). The Sox already have a strong rotation, but must
be interested in bringing back this pitcher, who at 28 has undergone two Tommy
John surgeries, but regularly hits 100 MPH with his fastball and recently added
a very effective cutter that has only increased his effectiveness.
It’s hard to imagine that any free agent made himself more
money than Eovaldi did over the final month or two of the season. One
potentially facing a one or two year deal, he will be getting paid, and paid
well over multiple seasons now. Given how he performed in Boston and how his
teammates respect
and admire him, look for the team to make a strong push to return him to
the fold.
Greg
Holland, Relief Pitcher: The Red Sox extended a qualifying
offer to current closer Craig
Kimbrel, but it would be a surprise if he were to accept it, given what he
can likely earn in free agency. If the offer is indeed rejected this is one
area where the team may be able to save a little money. Veteran Matt Barnes
may be an internal candidate to close, but lacks experience in that role.
Bringing in Holland, who will likely not command a huge deal would be another
option, even if is just to provide insurance to someone else like Barnes.
At one time the 33-year-old right-hander was one of the best
closer in the game, combining for 93 saves and a 1.32 ERA in 2013-14 with the
Kansas City Royals. Unfortunately, he missed all of 2016 because of injury.
Although he led the National League in saves with 41 for the Colorado Rockies upon
his return in 2017, he had a 3.68 ERA and saw a big spike in his WHIP. He was
putrid this past season with the St. Louis Cardinals (7.92 ERA in 32 games),
but was a revelation after being traded mid-year to the Washington Nationals,
posting a microscopic 0.84 ERA with three saves in 24 relief appearances.
Holland should command a much more manageable deal than some
of the sexier closer free agent candidates. Could it be possible he might even take
a one-year make good deal (higher salary for one year) to set himself up for
one more potential free agent splash in 2020? If so, the Red Sox may spring to
the phone to dial his agent, as he appears to be an intriguing fit.
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