If he'll take a significant discount to come back, having a veteran innings eater as the 4/5 really wouldn't be a bad thing imo. He also will be 2 years out from UCL surgery and often times guts stuff ticks up the 2nd year removed. At the very least it might be the 94/95 from the middle of the season vs the 92 or so from the end.

I'm still not entirely sure I want him back but like I said if it's a significant discount, maybe.

I will also say he seems to be protesting a little bit too hard about how 'amazingly healthy' he is haha. Maybe he really is and that's great for him but he certainly wasn't better 'days later' or he would have been in the WC roster.

I think I'd take him back for 2/$24M to 2/$30M (maybe) and assuming health. If they do this they also need a legit #2 — I'm NOT saying he's the upgrade thry need. I also think they have enough depth it's not necessary but it wouldn't hurt.

At the very least I like that hes being so open about enjoying his tine here and wanting to come back. If nothing else having guys who legitimately want to be in Boston and get along well in the clubhouse and can fully handle and thrive under the pressure isn't something to dismiss without a second thought.

We shall see what winds up happening, he seems like a great guy — loved that he played MLB The Show as himself and talked about it — so I wish him the best regardless of where he is next season!

8 comments

  2. He’s worth a look. It’s gonna all be about our budget and what other moves we make. A contract with Lucas for 12M might end up fitting nicely in our budget. Still wanna get a another pitcher though.

  3. I just don’t think it makes much sense unless he’s very cheap.

    When you look at the Red Sox options at SP, we are set for spots 4-5 in the rotation. Some combination of Crawford/Dobbins/Early/Tolle/Sandoval/Fitts/Houck and that’s just the guys who have made their MLB debut. Guys like Drohan, Uberstine, Sandlin and most intriguingly, Perales could all make their debut at some point as all are at AAA. (First three definitely are, Perales could start in AA).

    So you take that into account, the money he’d want. To sign him you basically have to talk yourself into him as a three, which I don’t think you can do, or you’re talking yourself into one of those guys above as a three, which they just aren’t yet.

    I think the rotation likely shapes out as:

    – Crochet
    – Acquisition
    – Bello
    – Sandoval (I think he gets first shot given that he has the most pedigree of guys there)
    – One of Early/Tolle/Dobbins/Crawford/Fitts (My guess would be Dobbins, Early or Crawford at this point)

    Even if let’s say you failed to sign/trade for a #2 and went with Bello as your #2, there are better options out there than Giolito. His performance seems fairly unsustainable. That said in a scenario where you can’t get that pitcher, I’d rather cheap out and just spend your money on the bats.

  6. Can someone explain how the whole situation changed for him in like a month? Before the playoffs everybody was a fan, he was our #2 and having great performances. Now nobody wants him and instead wants the 5+ ERA guy (Sandoval) who’s coming back from TJ ?

  7. Would have been happy to take him back, but now that he’s gone let’s see if we can upgrade him.

  8. If he’s willing to take the #4 starter money, absolutely. If he wants to get paid like a #2 or #3, move on

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