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  • Boston Red Sox Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Boston Red Sox free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Brock Beauchamp
    Chris Cotillo of MassLive recently reported that there was friction between the Red Sox and Masataka Yoshida earlier this season over an injured left thumb. The Red Sox put Yoshida on the injured list but after an evaluation, decided surgery was not necessary. Yoshida then proceeded to pursue a second and then third opinion on the matter, which apparently rubbed team officials the wrong way. 
    Yoshida has been a capable hitter in the majors, though with very little power. He has a career 111 OPS+ (11% above league average with the stick) but hits left-handed while the Red Sox believe they need to become more right-handed this offseason. Additionally, Yoshida has not shown to be a capable outfielder with Boston slotting him into permanent designated hitter duties in 2024.
    Yoshida is owed $55.8 million over the next three seasons.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Jeff Passan of ESPN reported today that 34-year-old Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano will enter MLB free agency this offseason. 
    Sugano will turn 35 in a week and it's hard to predict what kind of results he can expect against MLB hitters. Once a relatively hard-thrower, the righty now sits around 92 mph and controls six pitches. He's the epitome of a crafty veteran, striking out only six batters per nine innings in NPB.
    Unlike most other Japanese baseball imports, Sugano is an unrestricted free agent. There will be no posting period and all teams can vie for his services as if he was a typical MLB free agent.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Rob Bradford of WEEI tweeted that right-handed slugger Tyler O'Neill talked to Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow and that there is "definitely mutual interest" in returning for the 2025 season and beyond.
    The 29-year-old Canadian outfielder earned $5.85 million playing with the Sox in 2024, slugged 31 home runs, and had his best offensive season since 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also filled an important niche for the left-hand-dominant Red Sox, posting a 1.180 OPS against left-handed pitching.
    Any contract to O'Neill will require 3+ years at a rather high annual rate. What would you pay to retain the not-yet-30 outfielder?
    Brock Beauchamp
    Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow met with journalists (including The Boston Globe's Alex Speier) in Toronto and mentioned some goals for the Red Sox this winter.
    The key takeaways were an interest in bringing back outfielder Tyler O'Neill for 2025 and beyond. O'Neill, a bounceback candidate coming out of St Louis, bounced back in the biggest way possible this season. He smacked 31 home runs and posted a 131 OPS+. The righty should be in demand this offseason.
    Additionally, Breslow had this to say about the offseason:
    This is an interesting statement in that it's rare to see baseball executives openly suggest they're going to trade away players before the season has even ended. It makes a lot of sense given Boston's left-handedness and trading from positions to strength to fill team weaknesses. But who do you think might be dangled as trade bait this winter?
    Brock Beauchamp
    Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported that Red Sox closer and soon-to-be free agent Kenley Jansen is open to returning to the Red Sox but wants to pitch for a contender in 2025. The 36-year-old right-hander acknowledges he is in the twilight of his career and wants to make the most of his remaining years.
    While Jansen is in the latter-half of his 30s, he has shown few signs of slowing down. In his two seasons with Boston, he has pitched in 102 games with a 125 ERA+ and 111 strikeouts in 96.1 innings pitched.
    Given the volatility of relievers, particularly aging relievers, it's hard to predict what the free agent market will offer Jansen. He may have to settle for a one-year deal but if a desperate team aggressively pursues him, a two-year contract might be in play.
    Would you bring back Jansen for 2025 and what kind of contract would you be willing to offer him?
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