Will the Red Sox make a splash this offseason? Boston has financial flexibility and a strong desire to bounce back from a disappointing 2020. As such, we’ll examine whether several notable free agents make sense (or don’t make sense) as the club looks to retool for 2021 and beyond.
We feel extremely confident in saying the Boston Red Sox will sign a starting pitcher this offseason. They have to.
But who will it be? Will be a stud like Trevor Bauer or a cheap veteran like Martin Perez, a player with whom they’re already familiar?
Perhaps someone in the middle? Enter: Jose Quintana.
Four years ago, the left-handed Quintana was viewed as one of the best young pitchers in the game when the Chicago White Sox shipped him across town to the Cubs for Eloy Jimenez, among others. Since then, the Colombian has been a good-but-unspectacular performer.
At 31 years old, there are reasons for and against Quintana as a free agent target for Boston.
Let’s dive in:
Info:
Position: Starting pitcher
Age: 31 (Jan. 24, 1989)
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 220 pounds
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
2020 stats:
Four games (one start)
0-0 record, 4.50 ERA, 12 strikeouts
1.30 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 10.8 K/9,
Career stats:
254 games (247 starts)
83-77 record, 3.73 ERA, 1,310 strikeouts
1.266 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 7.9 K/9
Why Quintana makes sense for Red Sox:
Two reasons, really: need and upside.
The Red Sox absolutely need to add bodies to the starting rotation. At this point, we only can confidently lock in three players for the rotation: Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi and Tanner Houck. And all of them have question marks. Rodriguez’s recovery from myocarditis remains a cause for concern, as do Eovaldi’s durability and Houck’s lack of experience.
But Quintana is no plug. He’s only a few years removed from being a legitimate No. 2 starter and still has plenty of upside. Injuries ruined his 2020 campaign, and as such, his disappointing returns shouldn’t be held against him.
If the Red Sox can land Quintana for a reasonable contract, they should consider it.
Why Quintana doesn’t make sense for Red Sox:
Ultimately, a pitcher like Quintana probably won’t move the needle too much for the Red Sox, who simply have too many holes to fill. It might be better to spread the roughly $20 million it probably would take to get him across the roster.
Additionally, Quintana will turn 32 years old in January and has been on a downward trend for about four years. That’s a scenario the Red Sox typically like to avoid.
Verdict: Fit. The upside outweighs the potential red flags.
Prediction: Quintana signs in Boston for two years and $20 million.
