Boston Red Sox: 3 positions of need heading into the offseason
Boston Red Sox position of need No. 3: Starting pitching
The Red Sox starting rotation probably overachieved this season, but the fact of the matter is it needs upgrading if the team intends on winning another World Series. Heading into the 2022 season, the only known starters right now are probably Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi. After that, everything else is up for grabs.
To start, a few key pieces of the rotation may not be set to return in the first place. Garrett Richards and Martin Perez both have club options, and considering the fact they were both exiled to the bullpen midway through the season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Boston move on from either of them. Eduardo Rodriguez is also set to hit the open market, and it’s fair to wonder whether he pitched his final game in a Red Sox uniform this season.
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Even then, there are still multiple internal options to fill out the rotation. Nick Pivetta was one of Boston’s best starters on the season, and was a weapon out of the bullpen in the playoffs. Tanner Houck spent much of the season commuting between Worcester and Boston, but when he was in the majors, he was solid. And there’s an off chance that star reliver Garrett Whitlock could be turned into a starter down the line too.
Even with all these pieces in place, it’s clear another starter is going to be needed. Sale and Eovaldi form a dominant duo at the top of the rotation, but the depth afterwards is sorely lacking. It seems like it would be a good idea to bring in another starter, even if you decide to fill out the back of the rotation with Pivetta, Houck, and Whitlock.
The good news is that there are an abundance of starters that are set to hit free agency. If they want to add a lefty to replace the potentially departing Rodriguez and Perez, they could target guys like Robbie Ray or Carlos Rodon. Either way, another consistent starter or two is going to be necessary for this team to get to where they want to go, and adding to the position should be one of the top priorities heading into the offseason.