Red Sox Predicted To Target $5 Million Nationals All-Star After Surprise Non-Tender

Did the Nats make a mistake?

Sep 29, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Washington Nationals hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the third inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Every year, Major League Baseball free agency gets thrown out of whack right before Thanksgiving.

Friday was the deadline for teams to non-tender their arbitration-eligible big-league players, dropping them from the payroll and adding them to the free-agent pool. And although there are some surprise non-tenders every season, this year, there have been more good players surprisingly let go than in any year in recent memory.

The Boston Red Sox could stand to gain more good players, so they likely watched this week unfold with widening eyes. For a discounted one year contract, perhaps the Red Sox could steal an impact contributor or two.

One of the non-tendered veterans is a 2024 All-Star reliever who could help out with the Red Sox's struggling bullpen. Greg Dudek of NESN recently named ex-Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan as a fit for Boston after Washington dumped him on Friday.

"Finnegan, 33, was a first-time All-Star this past season and finished with a 3.68 ERA and 38 saves for the Washington Nationals, which ranked third in MLB only behind Ryan Helsley and Emmanuel Clase," Dudek said.

"The Red Sox currently are without a closer with it unlikely that Kenley Jansen returns and Finnegan, who never sported an ERA over 4.00 in his career, could fill that role."

Regardless of whether Finnegan could fill in as the closer, he'd bring valuable high-leverage experience to a relatively untested Boston bullpen. Outside of Liam Hendriks, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, most Red Sox relievers have two years or less of big-league experience.

Finnegan made $5 million last season, so one could hazard a guess he would be seeking about the same on a one-year contract. If he's interested in playing for Boston, there's little harm in taking a flier on a pitcher who made the All-Star Game just four months ago.

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