Are the Red Sox really going 'full throttle' this offseason?
With the hiring of new Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow on Oct. 25, many Boston Red Sox fans were hoping it meant the team would be building a contender this offseason, but it seems as though it is just the opposite.
While the Sox have been linked to several free agents this winter, they have only made a handful of transactions so far – the most notable being the signing of starting pitcher Lucas Giolito.
Breslow has also traded away outfielder Alex Verdugo (Yankees) and veteran starting pitcher Chris Sale (Braves).
Many fans are disappointed in the club's seemingly uneventful offseason after hearing chairman Tom Werner claim the team would be going "full throttle."
"We know that we have to be competitive next year," Werner told MassLive reporter Sean McAdam at Breslow's introductory news conference in November. "So we're going to be competitive next year. We're going to have to be full-throttle in every possible way."
On Jan. 17, Werner clarified his "full throttle" comments in a phone interview with McAdam.
"Maybe that wasn't the most artful way of saying what I wanted to say, which is that we're going to be pressing all levers to improve the team," Werner told McAdam, "In the end, nobody's happy with our performance the last few years. Some years, we go after somebody who is about to be a free agent, or was a free agent, as it pertains to Trevor Story or Raffy Devers."
Boston has missed out on various free agents this offseason, including Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, and 2023 AL MVP Shohei Ohtani. All three landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Most recently, the Red Sox lost veteran Justin Turner, who signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday. His contract also includes a chance to earn an additional $1.5 million in incentives.
Turner was one of the Sox' most productive hitters last season, slashing .276/.345/.455 with 23 home runs and a career-high 96 RBI. The 39-year-old slugger appeared in 146 games, with most of them coming at first base.
Turner declined his $13.4 million player option with the Red Sox to test out free agency at the end of the 2023 season, but was hopeful he would make a return to the team.
"I would love to be back and be with the Sox," Turner told MassLive reporter Chris Cotillo in November. "I think the crazy thing is that as great as our experience was, we finished in last place in the AL East. From what I've heard from all these guys – Pedro included – is how amazing this town is when you're making a playoff run. I want to be a part of that. It has been A-plus across the board in everything we've done...I want to know what it's like to play in a playoff game for the Red Sox, not against them."
Fans have begun expressing their anger with Boston's leadership. On Jan. 19, CEO and Team president Sam Kennedy and Breslow were met with boos as they made their appearance at the club's "Winter Weekend" fan event.
"I want you to know the boos, the anger, the hate we see on social media, we get it," Kennedy told fans at the event. "It is our job to turn things around to make you proud. There's only one way to turn the boos into applause, and that's winning baseball games. That's on us."
Fans are hopeful the team will make a turnaround after three last-place AL East finishes in the last four seasons. With Opening Day less than two months away, it is uncertain if leadership will make any further noteworthy improvements to the team.
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