MLB Insider Floats Idea That Red Sox Could Trade Star Hurler To Dodgers

Boston reportedly would like to dump salary

Scott Neville | Jan 9, 2024

MLB Insider Floats Idea That Red Sox Could Trade Star Hurler To Dodgers /

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The Boston Red Sox have entered the offseason acting like an impoverished franchise that cannot afford to spend without clearing out payroll first.

While that could not be further from the truth, Red Sox ownership appears to no longer value winning. With that said, if payroll is going to be shed, closer Kenley Jansen makes the most sense to be moved.

"If you look at Jensen, he's still a really good closer," FanSided's Robert Murray said on "The Baseball Insiders" on Monday. "Teams always want a good arm in the ninth inning and I think that could end up being a case where some team would be really interested in that.

"I do wonder -- this is just my speculation, I want to make that incredibly clear -- but the Dodgers make a lot of sense there, don't they?" Murray questioned. "They need a guy in the ninth inning. Jensen obviously knows Los Angeles. They clearly are open to adding money to the payroll because I mean look at how much they've spent this offseason. It makes a whole lot of sense."

I wrote an in-depth breakdown not long ago on this exact topic, MassLive's Chris Cotillo threw out the same idea as well.

Jansen posted a 3.63 ERA with a 52-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .237 batting average against and a 1.28 WHIP in 44 2/3 innings in his debut season in Boston. Most notably, he went 29-for-33 in save opportunities.

The right-hander is owed $16 million next season, the final year of his two-year contract. Freeing up that kind of money given the team's budget could be significant -- though there is no reason for a budgetary restriction of any kind after resetting the luxury tax a year ago.

More MLB: Conflicting Reports On Red Sox’s Interest In Premier Hurler With Decision Imminent

Published Jan 9, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu