The Boston Red Sox on Wednesday are going to take another step in charting their path for the 2021 season.
Wednesday marks Major League Baseball’s non-tender deadline, which will impact the Red Sox’s arbitration- and pre-arbitration-eligible players. Those who are not tendered deals become free agents, while those who are tendered deals can either agree to them or, in the case of those arbitration-eligible, head to arbitration.
The five remaining arbitration-eligible players are Rafael Devers, Matt Barnes, Kevin Plawecki, Ryan Brasier and Austin Brice. Eduardo Rodriguez would be on this list as well had he and the Red Sox not reportedly agreed to a deal Tuesday.
For the most part, teams will hold on to pre-arbitration eligible players because they are cost-controlled, so for the purpose of this exercise we’ll look at just the arb-eligible players.
Devers figures to be a franchise cornerstone going forward, so he’ll be tendered a contract. Where exactly the two sides land remains to be seen, however, after his down 2020 season.
Barnes theoretically could be a non-tender candidate. Spotrac projects he’ll get $4.7 million in his final season before free agency, but he’s struggled with consistency throughout his career. If the Red Sox think they could do better at that price point, they could move on.
Plawecki did a nice job as Christian Vazquez’s backup catcher last season — specifically with the bat — while making just $900,000. Connor Wong is Boston’s top catching prospect and he’s not big league ready yet, so it might make sense for the Red Sox to hang on to Plawecki for at least another year.
Brasier has seen a career resurgence with the Red Sox since joining the organization in 2018. His run in Boston has been marred by inconsistency, though, but he was one the Red Sox’s more steady relievers in 2020, tossing scoreless outings in 19 of his 25 appearances.
Brice, claimed off waivers last offseason, has a live arm and showed promise in his first year with the Red Sox, especially against righties. He’s not essential, though, and would be a fringe option to make the team out of camp next season anyway, particularly if the Red Sox add to the bullpen this offseason. He’s the likeliest of this bunch to get non-tendered.
The deadline is Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
