Title: Red Sox Offseason Predictions: Busy Hot Stove Season Ahead for Craig Breslow
Introduction:
Monday marks the beginning of the baseball offseason, signaling a flurry of activity for the Boston Red Sox and their new chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow. With option decisions due, free agents ready to sign, and the annual GM meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Red Sox are expected to make significant changes to their roster before Opening Day.
1. The most expensive free agent the RedRed Sox Predictions for the Baseball Offseason
Monday marks the start of the baseball offseason as option decisions are due, free agents can technically start signing anywhere, and general managers across the league will all travel to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the start of the annual GM meetings. For the Red Sox and new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, this offseason is expected to be a busy one.
It’s clear that Boston’s roster will look much different on Opening Day compared to now. The Red Sox writers, Chris Cotillo, Sean McAdam, and Chris Smith, have made some predictions for the team’s offseason moves.
1. The most expensive free agent the Red Sox sign this winter is:
– Cotillo predicts that the Red Sox will be outbid for top free agent starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto and will pivot to signing Aaron Nola, who has a proven track record in a big market and will be cheaper. However, Nola won’t be Boston’s most impactful rotation addition.
– McAdam also predicts the signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is not only the best option but also the youngest. This move aligns with the team’s reluctance to give long-term deals to pitchers already in their 30s.
– Smith agrees with the signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, emphasizing that the Red Sox’s biggest need this offseason is a starting pitcher.
2. Boston’s Opening Day rotation will be”Red Sox Offseason Predictions: What Moves Will Craig Breslow Make?”
Monday marks the start of the baseball offseason as option decisions are due, free agents can technically start signing anywhere and general managers across the league will all travel to Scottsdale, Arizona, for the start of the annual GM meetings. And so begins what should be a very busy hot stove season for the Red Sox and new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.
It’s clear Boston’s roster will look much different on Opening Day compared to now. But just exactly what will Breslow and the Sox do? Here are some offseason predictions from our Red Sox writers, Chris Cotillo, Sean McAdam, and Chris Smith.
1. The most expensive free agent the Red Sox sign this winter is:
COTILLO: Aaron Nola.
The Sox are going to be linked to virtually every top free agent starter this winter, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will likely command about $200 million. The guess here is that they’ll be outbid and pivot to an innings-eater like Nola, who has a proven track record in a big market and will be cheaper. Nola, however, won’t be Boston’s most impactful rotation addition.
MCADAM: Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Red Sox need a front-of-the-rotation starter and Yamamoto is not only the best option but also the youngest. For a team whose owner has been reluctant to give long-term deals to pitchers already in their 30s, that could be key.
SMITH: Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
The Red Sox’s biggest need this offseason is a starting pitcher. Who better to land than the top pitcher on the market (not named Shohei Ohtani)? That would be “full throttle” as chairman Tom Werner suggested would be Boston’s offseason approach.
2. Boston’s Opening Day rotation will be comprised of:
COTILLO: Aaron Nola, George Kirby, Brayan Bello, Chris Sale, Lucas Giolito.
House money is on the Red Sox adding two starting pitchers this winter. Why not three? Nola and Giolito are two intriguing free agent arms the Red Sox will likely explore adding. But Breslow should look to Seattle to see if he can pry one of the Mariners’ young starters (like George Kirby or Logan Gilbert) in a blockbuster trade. Kirby, who is under control through 2028, is a perfect fit but