Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With Projected $14 Million Hurler

Boston has some decisions to make about some internal free agents

April 13, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; A general view of empty seats on opening day at Fenway Park prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox likely will be one of the more active teams in free agency once it kicks off this winter.

Boston's window for contending in the American League is slowly starting to open up. The Red Sox have some dynamic young talent that has shown great promise. Boston has even more coming up the pipeline from the minor leagues.

If the Red Sox could make a few key additions this winter -- namely, a starting pitcher, right-handed bat, and bullpen help -- there's no reason to believe that Boston won't be back in the playoffs in 2025. Once the club is in the playoffs, anything can happen.

Boston will be looking for ways to upgrade the club this winter, and the bullpen will be a big focus. The Red Sox tried to add to it ahead of the trade deadline, but things didn't work out. Boston made a few additions, and one player who was brought in is Lucas Sims in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

Sims made 15 appearances with Boston and had a 6.43. This was surprising as he had a 3.57 ERA across 43 outings with the Reds.

He will be a free agent this winter and FanSided's Ryan Bunton predicted that Sims won't be back in town.

"Lucas Sims was acquired by the Red Sox at the trade deadline as part of Craig Breslow's bargain shopping that was supposed to bolster the bullpen," Bunton said. "Instead, Sims struggled immensely once arriving in Boston. The Red Sox bullpen was one of the major reasons why Boston faltered after the All-Star break and missed out on the postseason...

"The 30-year-old is an unrestricted free agent. Perhaps the Red Sox are persuaded that his second-half performance in 2024 was an aberration and are interested in bringing the former first-round pick back, but Sims was likely nothing more than a low-cost deadline rental."

This isn't too surprising. Sims will be a free agent, and Spotrac currently has his projected market value to be at just over $14 million over four years. That isn't exceptionally high, but after the second half of the season, Boston may look to go in a different direction.

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