Five Impact Players Red Sox Should Target This Offseason

The Red Sox suffered another disappointing season, but there were bright spots that might heighten the urgency to upgrade the roster.

Boston finished third in the American League East, but a .500 record didn’t get the job done to sneak into the postseason. An improved young roster provided optimism, and there’s a chance that the addition of high-quality veterans could get the Red Sox over the hump and make the playoffs after a three-year drought.

Tom Caron and Lou Merloni discussed what Boston should focus on in the offseason on NESN’s “310 To Left” podcast. And the obvious need was a No. 1 starter.

” … When you look at this rotation, guys like (Brayan) Bello, (Tanner) Houck and (Kutter) Crawford, they need a guy that is so intense with his approach every fifth day,” Merloni told Caron. “They have a lot of great young talent, but now they need some old veterans in the staff, in the (bullpen), in the lineup to kind of gather these guys around and take them to another level.”

Merloni presented a wishlist during the MLB playoffs when he highlighted Fernando Tatis Jr., Teoscar Hernández and Tanner Scott. The NESN Red Sox broadcaster also named Corbin Burnes and Max Fried on “310 To Left” as other players he would like to see Bosotn try to acquire.

The Red Sox could have an inside track on Fried, and Hernández continues to express his love of Fenway Park. Boston was linked to Scott and Burnes at different points last season, and it will be up to Craig Breslow and his staff to decide how to allocate resources for what should be a critical offseason.

To hear more of Caron and Merloni’s conversation about the Red Sox offseason and MLB playoffs, listen to “310 To Left” on YouTube or Spotify.