We’re at the point in the offseason when the Boston Red Sox seemingly have been linked to every big-name player available on the open market.
The dam hasn’t broken on free agent moves yet and pretty much all of the top options of the offseason are still available. Blake Snell has signed the biggest deal of the offseason so far at $182 million over five years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Other top options should fly off the board soon, including New York Yankees star Juan Soto.
This point of the offseason is fun because there is so much hope. The Red Sox have said all of the right things so far and it’s fun to think which big stars the team could sign with this new aggressive approach.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden made a list of one free agent each team should target and suggested Atlanta Braves two-time All-Star Max Fried and projected he will land a six-year, $174 million deal.
“Boston Red Sox — Max Fried, LHP (six years, $174 million),” Bowden said. “The Red Sox have been aggressive this offseason and I’ll be shocked if they don’t land one of the top free-agent pitchers in this class. Although I keep thinking Fried will go back to the Braves, I could see the Red Sox being the highest bidder and landing him.
“Fried is a big-game pitcher and his 58 percent ground-ball rate would be effective at Fenway Park. He posted a 3.25 ERA last season in 29 starts (174 1/3 innings) and was worth 3.5 WAR. He’s pitched to a 3.07 ERA over his eight-year career.”
Fried and Corbin Burnes are the top two pitchers available in free agency right now. Boston needs a frontline starter and desperately needs a left-handed starter. Fried would answer seemingly every Boston rotation question market and already has a tie to Lucas Giolito after going to high school together.
The Red Sox should continue to pursue Soto, but Fried should also be right up there as one of the team’s top priorities this offseason.
