The Boston Red Sox haven’t made any blockbuster moves this Major League Baseball offseason, but they’ve still been busy, augmenting their starting rotation with a trio of signings and shaking up their outfield with a surprising trade involving an old friend.
So far, so good?
The Red Sox recently signed pitchers Michael Wacha, James Paxton and Rich Hill to offset the loss of Eduardo Rodriguez, who left Boston to join the Detroit Tigers in free agency.
They also flipped Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers for Jackie Bradley Jr. plus minor leaguers Alex Binelas and David Hamilton, a move designed to help both now and in the future.
Jim Bowden, a former MLB general manager, on Monday handed out early offseason grades for every American League team. He gave the Red Sox a solid “B” for their work thus far.
Here’s what Bowden wrote for The Athletic:
I liked the Red Sox side of the trade with the Brewers, as they reunited with center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and acquired two solid prospects for Hunter Renfroe. I think returning to Fenway Park and playing under manager Alex Cora will really benefit Bradley as well as the Boston pitching staff, thanks to his Gold-Glove caliber defense. I really like Binelas’ left-handed power bat, and Hamilton impressed scouts at the Arizona Fall League. The Red Sox also added a trio of proven pitchers: Michael Wacha, James Paxton and Rich Hill. All three come with health and decline risk, but if Boston hits on two of them, it will have been worth it. I expect the Red Sox to make one splash signing this offseason, and I’m hoping it’s shortstop Carlos Correa, who has a great relationship with Cora. The Red Sox could move Xander Bogaerts to third base and Rafael Devers to first base to accommodate Correa, or just move Bogaerts to second base. Either way, it would be a game-changer for the Red Sox, and would also protect them if Bogaerts opts-out and leaves in free agency after next season.
Obviously, a lot can change before Opening Day. And it’ll be fascinating to see whether Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom swings for the fences ahead of the 2022 campaign. After all, Boston is riding the momentum of a successful 2021 in which it fell just two wins shy of reaching the World Series.
It’s always important to note, however, that games aren’t won on paper. Whichever team “wins” the offseason — or, in this case, receives the highest grade — isn’t guaranteed anything. The hard work happens on the field, and the Red Sox nevertheless seem like they’re positioned well.
