Boston Red Sox: 3 starting pitchers that could be signed in free agency

Boston Red Sox free agent target No. 1: Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman probably put together one of the more under-the-radar solid seasons from a pitcher in 2021. Of course, it didn’t help that he was playing for the New York Mets, the team that managed to throw away the NL East in quite spectacular fashion. But now that Stroman is set to hit the open market, teams are beginning to notice just how good the veteran right hander was last season.

Despite finishing the season with a losing 10-13 record, Stroman posted a clean 3.02 ERA while also racking up 158 strikeouts. After opting out of the 2020 season due to the COVID pandemic, Stroman returned to the mound in style, and ended up having to carry the bulk of the load for the Mets rotation with Jacob deGrom missing half of the season and Noah Syndergaard missing the entire season.

Stroman is about as consistent as they come, and would be a perfect fit right behind Sale and Eovaldi in the rotation. He’s made 30+ starts in four of his last five seasons, picking up an All Star berth in 2019 and an eighth place finish in Cy Young voting in the 2017 season.

Stroman may not be the flashiest guy on the market, but in terms of Boston’s budget, and their current rotation setup, Stroman is one of the best fits on the market for this team. He will probably look to cash in on a longer term deal considering he’s 30 years old, but considering his durability, that shouldn’t be an issue.

A $20 million deal at four to five years is probably in the ball park of what Stroman is looking for, and that’s definitely a deal the Sox could fit onto their roster. Stroman would come in and immediately form one of the best trios of starting pitchers in the league with Sale and Eovaldi. in terms of value on the free agent market this season, it doesn’t get much better than Stroman, and it would make sense for the Red Sox to pursue him this offseason.