Is Padres Superstar Worth Projected $60 Million Price Tag For Red Sox?

Should Boston back up the Brinks truck?

May 24, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres hats in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images / Brad Mills-Imagn Images

How badly do the Boston Red Sox need bullpen help this winter? Or perhaps the more important question is how much are they willing to pay for it?

It shouldn't take long to name the bullpen when discussing culprits for the Red Sox's second-half failures in 2024. Boston's bullpen was easily the worst in Major League Baseball from mid-July to the end of the season, and almost nobody was immune from the criticism.

Something needs to change this winter, and there are free-agent options available that can provide an obvious upgrade for the Red Sox bullpen instantaneously. But as the market starts to take shape, one has to wonder whether some of the price tags will climb too high for the Red Sox to get involved.

Take Tanner Scott of the San Diego Padres, for example. Scott, who many believe to be the best overall reliever available this winter, was recently projected for a four-year, $60 million deal by Jim Bowden of The Athletic.

"Tanner Scott will be the best left-handed high-leverage reliever on the free-agent market," Bowden said. "He can be deployed at any time and in any role — closer, set up, match up — to get left- or right-handed hitters out. He had a banner year, registering a 1.75 ERA in 72 appearances with 22 saves. Batters hit .134 against his four-seam fastball and .231 against his wipeout slider."

There are a few reasons Scott expects to get paid. At 30, he's not going to be washed up by the time his next contract ends, barring unforeseen injuries. He's been a big strikeout pitcher his entire career, but he's developed more control the last two seasons, making him a fit to be a true closer instead of a middle reliever.

All these would be great things for the Red Sox to have, but it may not be worth $15 million per season if ownership is going to force the front office to stay at or beneath the luxury tax threshold. Kenley Jansen cost $16 million per year the last two years and as effective as Jansen was, his deal likely prevented Boston from adding other players on the margins.

It's a tough call, because Scott really is a fantastic reliever. But if Bowden's price tag is accurate, it feels like a reach at this point for Boston to spend that money when they could allocate it wisely elsewhere.

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