Red Sox Given Strong Odds To Land Superstar Free Agent This Winter

Boston could use a boost in free agency

Scott Neville | Oct 27, 2023

Red Sox Given Strong Odds To Land Superstar Free Agent This Winter /

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are expected to make some notable changes this offseason after finally appointing new leadership in the front office.

After a few down years, Boston will likely make a splash or two to jumpstart the retooling process. Could that include adding the best player on the planet?

The New York Post's Jon Heyman created odds for the upcoming Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes based on what he's hearing and gave the Red Sox a real dog in the fight.

"The New Balance link has folks speculating Boston," Heyman wrote Thursday. "He certainly seems to like playing there, and they can’t like finishing the last three of the last four years. Odds: 10-1."

Heyman expects Ohtani to still be able to seek a contract in the $500 million range and has heard rumors that a deal in the range of $600 million is not out of the question. That would be a hefty price but Ohtani would likely be worth it.

Ohtani hit .304 with 78 extra-base hits including 44 home runs, 95 RBIs and a 1.066 OPS in 135 games this season.

On the mound, he posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA, 167-to-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .184 batting average against and a 1.061 WHIP in 132 innings across 23 starts.

The Red Sox will need to prioritize adding some frontline starters to the mix, which will hurt their odds of bringing in the Japanese superstar after he sustained an elbow injury that will keep him off the rubber for 2024.

However, there could be a world where Boston adds Ohtani and then aims for second-tier options like old friend Eduardo Rodriguez and Minnesota Twins impending free-agent Sonny Gray to bolster the rotation.

For Ohtani to land in Boston, it would take a strong push from ownership to increase their marketability after a few down years. It will depend on how desperate that group becomes after another last-place finish in the budding American League East.

More MLB: Red Sox Reportedly Have Selected A Former Player To Succeed Chaim Bloom

Published Oct 27, 2023

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