The Boston Red Sox ownership group and front office entered the offseason making bold claims about their deep resources and desire to go “full throttle” but have quickly proven to be full of it.
After missing out on both Japanese sensations, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow pivoted to right-hander Lucas Giolito on a semi-lucrative short-term deal.
They’ve since been linked to some notable names but rumors of a tight budget and unwillingness to spend have come down in droves. The latest miss further bolsters those reports.
“BREAKING: Outfielder Teoscar Hernández and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agreement on a one-year, $23.5 million contract,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Sunday. “Hernández joins Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow on the new-look Dodgers, who add another All-Star bat to the lineup.”
Hernández was heavily linked to Boston but there was speculation that the Red Sox wanted to move money around before committing to the two-time Silver Slugger.
The deal was for just one year at a reasonable price point. The fact that the Red Sox could not beat that offer is criminal.
If the trends continue, the Red Sox might roll into the season with another mediocre-at-best roster destined for another last-place finish in a division full of genuine contenders who actually want to win.
