Red Sox Outbid By Angels For All-Star Starter After Showing Initial Interest

This move could mark a tough start for Boston

Scott Neville | Nov 15, 2022

Red Sox Outbid By Angels For All-Star Starter After Showing Initial Interest /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox perennially boast one of the largest payrolls in Major League Baseball thanks to their massive market, consistent ownership and active fanbase. They were one of just six teams to exceed the luxury tax last season, yet they may have been outbid for a top starter already.

The Los Angeles Angels signed All-Star starter Tyler Anderson on a three-year deal "expected to be in the $39 million range" according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The signing comes five days after it was reported that the Red Sox (and Angels) were showing interest in Anderson. Seeing as the Angels did in fact sign Anderson, there's a really good chance that report was spot on.

There were likely two factors that allowed the Angels to outbid Boston, and neither came down to actual finances.

The 32-year-old received a Qualifying Offer from the Los Angeles Dodgers, meaning it would cost Boston a second-round pick, fifth-round pick and $1 million of international pool money as a penalty for investing in a premier player.

The other issue comes down to value. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom cares more about value or return on investment than the actual dollar amount when negotiating contracts.

Anderson posted a 15-5 record, 2.57 ERA, 138-to-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a .221 batting average against in 178 2/3 innings across 30 appearances (28 starts) last season. However, he has a career 4.16 ERA and has shown no signs of sustained success.

While I've been openly all for the occasional overspend, Anderson would not be the most logical choice.

Bloom has had a (mostly unfair) reputation for not being willing to spend in free agency, but he was wise to avoid Anderson given the circumstances.

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Published Nov 15, 2022

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