Getty Boston Red Sox principal owner John Henry has been hesitant to spend this offseason but the roster could use some improvement, particularly the pitching staff
The Boston Red Sox have fallen short of a promised “full throttle” offseason so far, with Opening Day right around the corner.
And among the roster holes that the team has failed to address after a last-place finish in their division last season is a lack of depth in the starting rotation, particularly after Lucas Giolito suffered an injury that threatens to end his season altogether. But there is one free agent target who could soon fix that, with Erin Walsh of Bleacher Report naming the Red Sox as a potential landing spot for World Series champion Jordan Montgomery.
“The Boston Red Sox are not projected to have a postseason-worthy 2024 campaign amid a lackluster offseason, but they desperately need pitching help if they hope to avoid another last-place AL East finish,” Walsh noted.
“Montgomery has been linked to Boston throughout the offseason,” she wrote, adding that “the Red Sox can’t be ruled out as a destination amid the continued buzz linking him to the franchise.”
Jordan Montgomery Would Jump to the Top of the Boston Red Sox Pitching Staff
After losing Giolito, the Red Sox rotation projects to include Brayan Bello, Nick Pivietta, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford. None of those options maintained an ERA under 4.00 last season and Montgomery would become the team’s overnight ace.
He has a career 3.68 ERA across 141 starts. En route to a World Series championship with the Texas Rangers last season, he pitched for a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts — in 11 regular-season starts after being traded to the Rangers at midseason, he kept his ERA to 2.79.
Montgomery is projected for a 3.66 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 172 innings in 2024, according to Baseball Reference.
How Much Would Adding Jordan Montgomery Cost the Boston Red Sox?
Walsh also noted that a sticking point between Montgomery and the Red Sox has been the pitcher’s asking price. Executives and agents who spoke to Joel Sherman of the New York Post revealed that Montgomery is “aiming to top the $172 million that Aaron Nola received from the Phillies.”
Rob Bradford of WEEI has reported that the Red Sox are “prioritizing” Jordan Montgomery over other free agent options but also want to see that price come down. Now that Blake Snell has joined the San Francisco Giants, though, there’s reason to believe that won’t happen.
“With Snell off the market and teams getting desperate as the season nears, his price may only rise,” according to Walsh.
On the other hand, it should be noted that Snell received just $62 million on a two-year deal with the Giants after seeking a much longer commitment. Montgomery, who shares Snell’s agent Scott Boras, might make a similar compromise, which would allow him to opt out after a year or two and re-test the market in the near future.
“Opt-outs have become common for clients under agent Scott Boras,” Cole Thompson noted for FanNation’s Inside The Rangers. “Outfielder Cody Bellinger (Cubs), third baseman Matt Chapman (Giants), and now Snell all have opt-outs after 2024 despite inking multi-year contracts. Montgomery, another Boras client who remains on the market, could be looking for a similar deal to earn as much compensation as possible.”