Article: You're The Red Sox GM! The Sox Should Go After Two Aces and a Surprise Right-Handed DH

[Patrick Callahan]

Patrick Callahan is our next writer to put on the GM hat and explain how he'd do things this offseason.

This series of articles is a primer for the release of our new "You're The Red Sox GM!" tool, where you play the role of Craig Breslow and build your own Red Sox offseason. Please visit the tool here and join in on the fun!

Over the past week, report after report after report has indicated that the Boston Red Sox plan to be aggressive and spend in free agency. So in this article, we'll do what every Red Sox fan does in their heads throughout day, playing GM and planning out the offseason. Here are a few things that I expect to happen. These assumptions helped shape the offseason plan you're about to read: Roki Sasaki is a Dodger, Craig Breslow loads up on extra starting pitching to get through 162 games, Tristan Casas believes he can earn himself more money by not signing an extension just yet, and signing Juan Soto trumps all moves. If signing him is a possibility you do it and figure out the rest later.

Pitching is the obvious need this offseason, so let’s start there. I would go out and sign Blake Snell for somewhere around $100 million over three years. He may get hurt, he may look awful the first few months, but Snell is the guy you want leading a rotation down the stretch heading. In the second half last year, he either led or tied all qualified pitchers in ERA, FIP, wOBA, K-BB%, strikeout rate, and home runs per nine innings. This is something we have seen Snell do year after year, and it's what makes him worth the investment regardless of the slow springs and the innings he misses.

At the top of the rotation with Snell will be Garret Crochett. The Red Sox are one of the few teams with the prospect capital to make this move and it's an asset that should be used. I would like to hold onto Wilyer Abreu, but if he must go it's still an easy move. I have Kutter Crawford staying on this team as pitching depth but would absolutely include him in a deal for Crochet. Marcelo Mayer and Jarren Duran are the other guys that I fully intend on fielding offers for if their current values are met. Losing a genuine star like Duran would be tough, but if it comes down to him and Abreu, I choose Abreu. Before the trade is official, an extension would presumably be figured out between the sides and my offer would be $60 million over four years or $85 million over five years. I know this probably sounds low, but this would be accounting for starting this deal in 2025 which bumps up his $2.9 million salary up a ton. This also accounts for the risk factor, as Crochet unfortunately is a prime candidate for a second Tommy John surgery. This would also allow Crochet to hit the market again before he turns 30. If Crochet is willing to sign for something like eight years and $165 million, then that’s a different story. Even if you need to spend a little more than you’d like, it would be worth it to get that kind of strikeout pitcher into the system and working with Andrew Bailey and Kyle Boddy.

Relief pitching features so much variance that I’ll keep this simple: Go out and sign proven relievers in Tanner Scott ($50 million over four years) and David Robertson ($9 million for one year). Signing both provides a safety net in case Liam Hendriks looks rusty in the closing role. I'm tired of watching projects opposing teams figure out prospects after they make a few appearances and their stuff makes it into the Trajekt pitching machines. Brennan Bernadino and Justin Slaten are the only regular bullpen arms I’m carrying over to next season, aside from giving Luis Guerrero continue to prove himself by earning a spot spring training. The last two bullpen spots will be filled by a competition that I expect Michael Fulmer and Crawford to win. Given the rash of injuries currently affecting major-league pitchers, however, whoever ends up as the number six starter could be number four by Opening Day.

Moving onto the offense, the top of the list should be extending Roman Anthony. Slot Anthony into the lineup and let it ride like Milwaukee did with Jackson Chourio. Chourio looked rough over his first 50 games but like a genuine superstar by the time playoffs came around. That puts Anthony in left, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and Abreu as the everyday right fielder, even against lefties. Rob Refsnyder will also fill in to patrol the outfield. If neither Duran nor Abreu is used as a trade piece, don’t be surprised if Rafaela, the only righty in the outfield, ends up on the outside looking in, still getting at-bats but filling more of a utility role.

The next move would be to bring in a defensive catcher to compete with Connor Wong. Kyle Teel isn’t where he needs to be defensively, so delaying his call-up a bit while he works on it makes for the best long-term plan. The last move I'd like to touch on, and one that will probably be unpopular, is bringing in Paul Goldschmidt. I would slot the big slugger in at DH, providing right-handed power, a safety net if Casas can’t stay healthy again, and veteran leadership the team desperately needs. Goldschmidt is on the decline but still can be very productive, his leadership would be well worth the one-year deal. Bringing in a right-handed outfielder is on the minds of many Boston fans, but if you look around at who is available, you'll see many players who will demand three-year deals. WIth this young talented outfield and a cupboard full of rising prospects, I am not looking to lock up a spot for the next three or four years. If Breslow does decide to go that route, the qualifying offer can’t be the thing holding him back. If he likes Teoscar Hernandez, then sign him. You cannot dwell on failing to signing him last year and let one bad decision lead to another. Bringing in Goldschmidt requires trust in the young outfield, trading Masataka Yoshida, signing or trading for another right-handed outfielder/utility bench piece, and getting Alex Cora on board with not having the DH be as flexible of a lineup spot. This move seems like a longshot but bringing in a vet like Goldy would be a huge plus for this team.

Going into next year, I plan to spend money on pitching, to allow the young guys to continue to grow, and to prepare the next wave of prospects. That means allowing Kristian Campbell to play some outfield if both he and Vaughn Grissom force their way onto the roster during spring training. We should bring in some veterans to supplement this core, and, like I said before, landing Soto trumps all. If you sign Juan Soto, the years of misery are forgotten and then you can figure out the rest of the offseason moves later.

What do you think of this offseason plan? Do you think you can do better? Then build your own Red Sox roster and hit the button below!

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[notin]

This whole “we need a right-handed bat!!” is such a BS smokescreen.  The Sox had a higher OPS vs left-handed pitching than the AL champion Yankees did.

 

Fix the defense.  Team is 13th in OPS against lefties and the Sox need to get right handed hitting STAT!! But they’re 23rd in OAA and that’s not an issue…

[mvp 78]

With Story playing SS fulltime, the OAA issues should diminish a little bit. Devers is a much more solid defender when he is playing next to a decent SS. Rafaela would flourish in CF. Duran would go back to LF. Anthony/Abreu would be in RF. If they can get a decent backup C, I think they'd be rounding out a much improved defensive lineup. It doesn't take much, but they were just really out of position last year. 

[Hugh2]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

With Story playing SS fulltime, the OAA issues should diminish a little bit. Devers is a much more solid defender when he is playing next to a decent SS. Rafaela would flourish in CF. Duran would go back to LF. Anthony/Abreu would be in RF. If they can get a decent backup C, I think they'd be rounding out a much improved defensive lineup. It doesn't take much, but they were just really out of position last year. 

What I'm curious about is Connor Wong, is he a good catcher or a bad catcher? because he looked decent at one point but he looked awful last year as the year went on. 

Is that because he was overplayed there? if that's true, then getting a good back up catcher who can defend might make Wong better as well.  I think they need someone who can easily catch 100 games for them, and if it's more around 60 or so, then fine whatever.  But I think they need someone who is good enough to pair with a good young catcher for a few years (Teel) if Wong isn't it. 

That transaction can pair very well with building up the pitching staff. 

[Hugh2]

The best fit on the FA market, might be Elias Diaz.  If you could carry a defense only guy, I'd love some Austin Hedges, but I'd be more interested in him as a back up if we had a solid starting catcher. Diaz is more of a complete defensive catcher and while he can't really hit he's nowhere near the black hole in a lineup that Hedges has been. 

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

What I'm curious about is Connor Wong, is he a good catcher or a bad catcher? because he looked decent at one point but he looked awful last year as the year went on. 

Is that because he was overplayed there? if that's true, then getting a good back up catcher who can defend might make Wong better as well.  I think they need someone who can easily catch 100 games for them, and if it's more around 60 or so, then fine whatever.  But I think they need someone who is good enough to pair with a good young catcher for a few years (Teel) if Wong isn't it. 

That transaction can pair very well with building up the pitching staff. 

In '23 he had a good arm and pop time. He was terrible at framing, but he could control the baserunners a bit. Last year, he was just bad. I think injuries played into his arm/pop time set backs this year, but I don't see him figuring out the framing/blocking stuff. It just depends on what Breslow values. As a former pitcher, I bet he cares about framing and stealing an extra strike or two. 

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

The best fit on the FA market, might be Elias Diaz.  If you could carry a defense only guy, I'd love some Austin Hedges, but I'd be more interested in him as a back up if we had a solid starting catcher. Diaz is more of a complete defensive catcher and while he can't really hit he's nowhere near the black hole in a lineup that Hedges has been. 

I mentioned Diaz previously as he could be very cheap and come on a one year deal. Some of the other catchers seem like imperfect fits. 

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

I mentioned Diaz previously as he could be very cheap and come on a one year deal. Some of the other catchers seem like imperfect fits. 

I'm find with it, I wouldn't hate a guy on a mutli year deal.  Maybe a team likes Wongs bat behind the plate enough for a trade, not necessarily this offseason but maybe at the deadline, if Teel is ready room may need to be made and it would be optimal to have a guy on the roster who you can rely on but also help Teel continue to develop. 

I'm not sure Wong is that guy. 

[mvp 78]

16 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I'm find with it, I wouldn't hate a guy on a mutli year deal.  Maybe a team likes Wongs bat behind the plate enough for a trade, not necessarily this offseason but maybe at the deadline, if Teel is ready room may need to be made and it would be optimal to have a guy on the roster who you can rely on but also help Teel continue to develop. 

I'm not sure Wong is that guy. 

I'm very willing to move on from Wong if Teel is ready. Maybe they make Wong a UTIL type guy for a few weeks until they are sure about Teel and then deal Wong? IDK. There is a chance Teel doesn't appear until 2026 and I'm ok with it.