How Red Sox Reportedly Will ‘Focus Their Resources’ In Offseason

The Red Sox have a number of issues to address after missing the MLB playoffs for the third straight season.

Boston must add more above-average talent if it wants to legitimately compete with the rest of the league's best, and there are a few specific areas where Craig Breslow and company should look to make those improvements. The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey previewed those areas of need in a column published Wednesday, and in doing so, the Red Sox reporter dropped a note about the club's expected offseason strategy.

"...It seems more likely the Red Sox will focus their resources on the rotation rather than outbid another team for a reliever. Trades also figure to be part of the solution," McCaffrey wrote.

Landing a true ace this winter arguably should be Boston's top priority. Tanner Houck was an All-Star this season, but the Red Sox probably shouldn't bank on another big step forward by the right-hander. Acquiring a proven No. 1 starter to headline a rotation featuring Houck, Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford would put Boston in a good position to succeed next season.

Breslow recently confirmed starting pitching will be an "area of focus" for the Red Sox this season, so maybe the front office is preparing to go big-game hunting to fix a longstanding problem.