The Boston Red Sox made the playoffs last season, and the team is now hopeful for a deep playoff run this season.
Boston has been active this offseason through the trade market to improve its pitching staff. With the Red Sox having plenty of pitching, there could be some intriguing candidates who do not make the roster.
Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo of MassLive expects Boston to part ways with Jordan Hick and eat his dead money.
“Jordan Hicks is cut,” Cotillo wrote. “A Red Sox team intent on contending from the jump will have to make some hard decisions in an effort to field the best 26-man roster for 162 games. That means potentially losing some high-octane arms at the beginning of camp.
“Hicks is under contract and costly ($12 million CBT hit). But the leash needs to be short with him if the same problems that plagued him last year resurface.”
Hicks is entering the third-year of his four-year, $44 million deal and was part of the return for Rafael Devers. The hard-throwing right-hander tried to be a starter with the San Francisco Giants, but he struggled and is better suited as a reliever.
Yet, despite throwing over 100 MPH, Hicks has command issues. That will lead to him being cut, which would be a surprising move. However, the Red Sox are in win-now mode, and it appears the team is open to eating money.
Hicks Was Caught off Guard by Trade to Red Sox
Hicks was a high-leverage reliever with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2023, which led to him signing with the Giants.
San Francisco envisioned him as a starter, but Hicks struggled, and he was part of the return for Devers. After being dealt, Hicks admitted he was surprised by the move.
“I was a little bit surprised. I didn’t even know you can get traded on the IL,” Hicks said. “But besides that, I was just really excited to hear that it was to a team that was pursuing me in free agency. And I get to be a part of a young squad. I’m just really excited to play for this historic organization.”
Hicks returned to the bullpen in Boston, which was expected, but he struggled. He finished the year going 2-7 with a 6.95 ERA in 34 games, including 9 starts. With the Red Sox, Hicks was 1-2 with an 8.20 ERA in 21 games as he was left off the playoff roster.
What Will Boston’s Bullpen Look Like?
Although Hicks is in the midst of a lucrative deal, Cotillo expects the Red Sox to move on from him.
Cotillo believes the Red Sox will end up signing Danny Coulombe to bolster the bullpen as the latest addition to the team, as the insider’s bullpen is as follows:
“LHP Aroldis Chapman, RHP Garrett Whitlock, RHP Justin Slaten, RHP Zack Kelly, LHP Danny Coulombe*, LHP Jovani Morán, RHP Greg Weissert, RHP Kutter Crawford,” Cotillo predicted. “The Red Sox are perhaps more set than any team in baseball when it comes to the back of their bullpen with Chapman returning to close and Whitlock back as one of the game’s best setup man. After that, questions abound.”
The Red Sox enter the season with the seventh-best odds of winning the World Series at +1500.
Red Sox Predicted to Cut $44M Hard-Throwing Pitcher in Surprise Move