Insider Pegs Red Sox As Top Landing Spot For Veteran Starting Pitcher After Strong Season
The Boston Red Sox could use at least one more starting pitcher this offseason.
Boston has been linked to the top free agents still available like Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, but they may end up being more expensive than the Red Sox are willing to spend.
The Red Sox could turn elsewhere and luckily for the club there still are some solid options available. Boston could look to land a No. 3 or No. 4 starter and one player who has been linked to the club is veteran starter Mike Clevinger.
It's unclear where he will sign, but The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted he will land with Boston.
"Clevinger went 9-9 last season with a 3.77 ERA and 1.226 WHIP over 24 starts (131 1/3 innings)," Bowden said. "He was worth 3.3 WAR. He was also pretty consistent, posting a 3.88 ERA over his first 12 starts and a 3.67 ERA over his final 12.
"The Red Sox have missed out on the top free-agent starters this offseason but could pivot to Clevinger, who is 33 years old and has gone 60-39 with a 3.45 ERA over 788 innings in seven major-league seasons."
Clevinger made 24 starts with the Chicago White Sox last season and logged a 3.77 ERA and 110-to-40 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 131 1/3 innings pitched. He has a 3.45 career ERA and would be a solid pickup for Boston at likely a cheap cost.
It would be nice if the Red Sox would address the top of the rotation and land someone like Snell or Montgomery, but Clevinger still could help.
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