With the Boston Red Sox coming up short of postseason contention in 2022, finishing last in the American League East, there’s offseason work to be done in order to bounce back in 2023.
The Red Sox have three members of last season’s starting rotation — Nathan Eovaldi, Michael Wacha and Rich Hill — on the free-agent market with their futures in Boston up for question. Aside from Nick Pivetta, who recorded the most innings pitched (179 2/3) on the staff, Wacha (127 1/3), Hill (124 1/3) and Eovaldi (109 1/3) contributed the second, third, and fourth-most innings, respectively out of all Red Sox pitchers.
Now, with the World Series in the books, the Red Sox front office is back to work.
With that being said, here are four starting pitchers the Red Sox could target during the offseason:
Noah Syndergaard
Splitting time last season with the Los Angeles Angels and the National League pennant-winning Philadelphia Phillies, Syndergaard had a bounce-back campaign.
Finishing off his six-year stint with the New York Mets in disappointing fashion in 2021 — recording just two starts alongside a 9.00 ERA — the former All-Star made 24 starts and pitched 134 2/3 innings this past season. Syndergaard finished with an even 10-10 record to accompany a 3.94 ERA with 95 strikeouts.
Syndergaard, 30, is coming off a one-year contract, originally signed with the Angels. With six outings of postseason experience under his belt, the veteran could serve as a solid short-term rotation option to replace any potential pitching lost in free agency.
Carlos Rodón
After initially agreeing to a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants with year one ending without going to the plays, Rodón officially exercised his opt-out clause on Monday.
The 29-year-old enters the free agency as the youngest notable name, coming off a career campaign in San Francisco. Rodón went 14-8 while making a career-high 31 starts for the Giants, reaching 178 innings pitched with a 2.88 ERA. He also recorded a big league-leading 2.25 FIP while finishing second in the National League with 237 strikeouts. Rodón set a Giants franchise record by notching a double-digit strikeout total on 11 occasions.
Named an All-Star for the past two consecutive seasons, Rodón will likely seek more stability rather than another short-term agreement.
Jacob deGrom
The two-time Cy Young Award winner could take the mound in 2023 not in a Mets uniform for the first time in his nine-year career.
The 34-year-old veteran would serve as a major offseason addition for the Red Sox. The right-hander would instantly add a major rotation threat to the rest of the division. Red Sox manager Alex Cora was left to make an abundance of rotation shifts which saw a lot of rookies taking the hill throughout the season. Adding deGrom would massively relieve the instability of last season, giving Boston both reliability with the added bonus of postseason experience.
Last season in 11 appearances with New York, deGrom went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA, striking out 102 batters through 64 1/3 innings pitched. Sidelined with shoulder concerns for the second consecutive season, velocity decline has not been an issue yet for deGrom.
The Mets have already retained one of their star pitching staff members, locking in a five-year contract worth $102 million dollars with closer Edwin DÃaz.
Chris Bassitt
Another member of last season’s Mets starting rotation, Bassitt took a step forward last season.
Acquired through trade with the Oakland Athletics back in March, Bassist, 33, made a career-high — and team-leading — 30 appearances while also taking home a career-best 15 wins. Reaching 181 2/3 innings, Bassitt notched a 3.42 ERA while striking out 167 hitters. Bassist also finished the year with a 22.4% strikeout rate and a 6.6% walk rate.
Entering the 2023 season at 34 years old, Bassitt is among the most reliable options, making 27-plus starts in three of the last four seasons — with 2020 being the exception, shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After declining his $19 million contract option with the Mets, Bassitt officially joins an abundance of starting pitching options on the market as he is a free agent for the first time in his career.
