For the first time in five years, Boston Red Sox fans have reason to get legitimately excited about Major League Baseball free agency.
It’s been a lean period for the Red Sox this past half-decade. In 2019, Boston had the highest payroll of the 30 MLB teams, but by 2024, they had fallen all the way to 11th. They’ve also just made one playoff appearance in the last six years.
However, the consensus expectation at this point is that the team will spend what it takes this winter to get back into World Series contention.
How will the Red Sox spend that money, though? The marquee pursuit of superstar outfielder Juan Soto is getting most of the attention these days, but one insider believes there is a more pressing need to address, and a perfect fit to fill that role.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic discussed free-agent fits for San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell on Thursday, and named the Red Sox as one of the top contenders.
“Much of the talk with the Red Sox this offseason has revolved around their courtship of Juan Soto, but a top-of-the-rotation starter is their bigger need, and a left-hander would better fit their all-right-handed rotation,” Rosenthal said.
“Snell pitched in the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2016 to ‘20, and officials with two of his former clubs, granted anonymity for their candor, said he would not be reluctant to pitch in the pressure-packed Boston market. Like most free agents, Snell wants to play for a winner and wants to get paid.”
Snell, 31, has only crossed the 130-inning barrier twice in his career–2018 and 2023–and he won the Cy Young Award both times. While durability is a question mark, Snell has also been the most dominant pitcher in baseball after the All-Star break for a stretch of four consecutive years.
Rosenthal’s colleague at The Athletic, Tim Britton, recently projected that Snell would get a four-year, $110 million contract, which is also a fair amount cheaper than fellow top free-agent stars Corbin Burnes and Max Fried are likely to sign for this winter.
The combination of affordability and upside makes this signing a no-brainer for the Red Sox if Britton’s price tag is accurate. But many teams could be thinking the same way, so don’t be surprised if the final number comes in a lot higher when the news of Snell’s signing breaks.
