Five Red Sox free agents to target with Juan Soto off the board originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Juan Soto left, and in the end, the Red Sox weren’t even close. Soto chose $765 million of Steve Cohen’s money on the emotional arguments the Red Sox could muster to increase their own game by $700 million (by Sean McAdam of MassLive).
Crush them if you want, but also recognize this for what it was: the richest owner in sports deciding he wouldn’t be denied. I suspect that if John Henry had offered $775 million, Cohen would have increased his offer to $800 million and kept going up to infinity.
The Red Sox had hoped to influence Soto by playing on his love by David Ortizbut all you need to know about the role of sentimentality in this negotiation is that the Yankees reportedly offered $760 million and Soto still took his talents to Flushing for a measly $5 million. It would always be the highest bidand the Red Sox would never have him.
But they still accomplished something important. Unlike last winter, when they were willing to pay Yoshinobu Yamamoto around $300 million before pocketing that money when he chose the Dodgers, this massive offer to Soto wasn’t a one-off. Their needs – starting pitching, right-handed hitting, bullpen help – haven’t changed. And even if they don’t spend $700 million this winter, they clearly intend to move aggressively.
So where could they pivot? Here are five names that could move quickly as the offseason enters its next phase.
1. Alex Bregman, 3B
Winning pedigree, right-handed power and Gold Glove defense. What’s not to like? Well, Bregman is almost 31 and already has plenty of mileage, thanks to 99 career playoff games, which means his 8-WAR days are probably behind him as well.
To which I say: so what? Bregman would be a culture changer and leader, and there’s nothing he hasn’t seen. He’s also willing to move to second base, although it probably makes more sense to leave his Gold Glove at third and throws Rafael Devers during his transition to first base or DH.
Bregman will likely end up being at least a $200 million player in this market, but if the Red Sox want stars, they’ll have to pay for them.
2. Teoscar Hernández, OF
This one won’t cost as much and would also signal that the Red Sox have learned from their mistakes. Last winter, the Sox pursued Hernandezbut ultimately lost him to the Dodgers on a one-year, $23.5 million deal. If they had been more aggressive, they would have landed a player who destroyed Fenway Park throughout his career with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs in 45 games.
They can right that wrong this winter and score Hernandez for 30 home runs. Adding Hernandez and Bregman would rebalance the roster in one fell swoop.
3. Max Fried, SP
If the Red Sox had signed Soto, they almost certainly would have had to trade for a starting pitcher to make the economy work. Now they can keep Triston Casas and Marcelo Mayer and get one the old-fashioned way: with cash.
Fried, 30, is widely expected to land with the Yankees or Red Sox, and it will be a test of Craig Breslow’s resolve to see if he can win a bidding war with a motivated rival and with deep pockets. The southpaw could be worth it, though, especially since the AL East is now wide open without Soto.
Let’s not forget that the Yankees have faced inconsistency throughout their rotation all season, from ace Gerrit Cole’s injury to a mediocre campaign from Marcus Stroman. Even Carlos Rodon’s bounce-back season had its rough patches before he struggled in the playoffs.
The Yankees need help, and by winning the Fried sweepstakes, the Red Sox could deny them an obvious upgrade.
4. Corbin Burnes, SP
Everything about Fried also applies to Burnes. A Cy Young winner with the Brewers, he came to the Orioles and more than delivered, winning 15 games with a 2.92 ERA and placing fifth in AL Cy Young voting while also proving he could thrive in the AL East.
Burnes has shown worrying signs — his strikeout rate has steadily declined in each of the last five years — but he just turned 30 and is good for 190 innings per year. The Red Sox desperately need an accomplished and experienced arm to lead their rotation, and Burnes fits the description.
5. Tanner Scott, RP
The Red Sox have already made a move to tackle their bullpen, addition of left-hander Aroldis Chapman despite a past suspension for domestic violence. As they look to add swings and misses in the late innings, Scott is probably the best pitcher available.
Scott is coming off an All-Star season with the Marlins and Padres that saw him compile a 1.75 ERA while striking out 84 in 72 innings. He’s a flamethrower, averaging 97 mph on his four-seamer while employing an old-school fastball repertoire.
Breslow is rebuilding a disappointing bullpen, and Scott, Chapman and rehabbing right-hander Liam Hendriks would give manager Alex Cora some potential late-inning firepower.
