The bullpen may not be the number-one item on the Boston Red Sox's agenda this winter, but it cannot be ignored.
May 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bag of baseballs sits on the diamond before a game against between the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images
After the All-Star break this past season, the Boston bullpen imploded. Injuries sapped some of the Red Sox's depth, but there was still no excuse for the bullpen ERA to be more than a run higher than any other team in Major League Baseball.
Simply put, the Red Sox's bullpen cost the team the playoffs in 2024, and the playoffs are a must in 2025 to avoid a fan base mutiny. Boston has to add at least one reliable option in free agency to make sure there's more depth to fall back on if injuries take their toll again next year.
Tanner Scott, who was recently projected for a four-year, $60 million contract in free agency, could be the ideal fit for Boston this winter. Sean McAdam of MassLive urged the Red Sox to acquire Scott in a potential blockbuster signing on Friday.
"While the Red Sox have some intriguing righthanded relief options — Zack Kelly, Luis Guerrero, Justin Slaten – they don’t have a real proven power arm from the left side. Scott fits that description perfectly. He’s not just the best lefty reliever on the free agent market; he’s also very likely the best reliever, period," McAdam said.
"Scott will likely require a deal similar to the one signed by Josh Hader with Houston last winter (five years, $95 million). Ordinarily, those kind of long investments for relievers don’t age well... but even if the Red Sox only get three strong years out of five from Scott, it’s still worth doing."
Scott, 30, doesn't have the long track record Hader or the New York Mets' Edwin Díaz had when they signed their megadeals, but his last two seasons have been as dominant as any reliever in the game. Since the start of 2023, he owns a 2.04 ERA in 150 innings, to go with 188 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP.
Investing in a single relief pitcher when the roster has other obvious holes can seem intimidating, but the Red Sox must be willing to push the envelope this winter. With roughly $60 million in 2025 payroll to spend before the luxury tax hits, there's room to sign Scott and still add other big-name free agents.
