red socks
A pair of the team’s best hitters and starting pitchers can all become free agents this off season.
The Red Sox’s surprising season ended on Friday when they fell to the Astros, losing the ALCS 4-2.
Now, they’re looking forward to the 2022 season. Some of the Red Sox’s best players are on contract for next season, including Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. Both players have interesting contractual positions after 2022. Bogaerts could withdraw from his six-year, $120 million deal after next season, and Rafael Devers becomes a free agent after the 2023 season, which could make him a candidate for an extension this season. .
But after Eovaldi and Sale, there are some question marks about starting the Red Sox spin. Eduardo Rodriguez will become a free agent for this season. The left had a shaky 2021, going 13-8 with a 4.74 ERA after missing the 2020 season due to myocarditis. Rodriguez has played two playoff games this season, further complicating the cost of his re-contract.
The Red Sox still has Tanner Hook, Nick Pevita, and Garrett Richards under control.
Hawk spent most of the first half of the season in Triple-A before starting 10 times in July, August and September. However, Hawk was used mostly as a savior for most of the final weeks of the regular season and the playoffs.
Pivetta has been used exclusively as a starter this season, but some have speculated that he could be a good candidate to be the closest Red Sox team.
Finally, Richards could return as a rookie next season, but he moved to the Bulls position in August after struggling as a starter. He pulled off a better bowling alley because he didn’t allow a earned tour in 12 of his 18 appearances. The Red Sox could cut ties with him even though he has a $10 million club option for next season.
In the board, the Red Sox can lose two of its best players. Kyle Schwarber It has a $11.5 reciprocal option for 2022. After his impressive season, he is likely to earn more than that in a multi-year contract.
Martinez is the other big hitter the Red Sox could lose. Martinez could opt out of the final season of his five-year deal, in which he is set to make $19.4 million. If Martinez opts out, the Red Sox can choose to re-sign only one Schwarber or Martinez and make that player their designated primary hitter. With the Triston Casas likely to make their MLB debut in the near future and Bobby Dalbec coming up in the second half of the season, the Red Sox may not need Schwarber to play first base – a position they didn’t play before coming to Boston – if they keep him.
Cristian Vazquez has a $7 million club option for next season. With no other obvious choice in the catcher, it may be in the Red Sox’s best interest to pick Vázquez’s option despite his downturn in strikes this season.
In Bullpen, Adam Ottavino and Hansel Robles will become free agents. Martin Perez has a $7 million club option for 2022.
Ottavino had the most appearances amongst the Red Sox Bullpen with 69. After battling the Yankees in 2020 (5.89 ERA, 1.582 WHIP), Ottavino rebounded quite a bit in 2021 with a 4.21 ERA and 1.452 WHIP. Robles struggled on his debut after the Red Sox caught him on deadline, but finished the regular season without giving up a run in his 15th appearance.
Perez has been in a similar place to Richards, struggling as a starter before moving to the Bulls position this season.
As of now, the payroll for the Red Sox for the 2022 season is $185.3 million, According to Spotrac. This figure includes the salaries of Schwarber ($11.5 million), Martinez ($19.4 million), Richards ($10 million), Vazquez ($7 million), Perez ($7 million). If, for whatever reason, all of those options are denied, it would cut Red Sox salaries by about $50 million.
How the Red Sox payroll stands against the luxury goods tax for next season is currently unclear with the MLB and the MLBPA is still negotiating a collective bargaining agreement as the current one is due to expire on December 1. In August, it set the first threshold for the luxury tax at $180 million, which is $30 million less than the $210 million threshold it was in this season.
Here is a full list of potential Red Sox free agents for this season:
JD Martinez (Player’s Choice)
Kyle Schwarber (club option)
Eduardo Rodriguez
Cristian Vazquez (club option)
Adam Ottavino
Garrett Richards (club option)
Hansel Robles
Martin Perez (club option)
Danny Santana
travis show
Brad Peacock
Jose Iglesias
Chris Hermann
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