Red Sox Reportedly Scouting Top International Free Agent To Bolster Pitching Staff

Boston would benefit from this Japanese hurler joining the squad

Scott Neville | Sep 21, 2023

Red Sox Reportedly Scouting Top International Free Agent To Bolster Pitching Staff /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will need all the help they can get to rebuild their starting rotation.

As of now, it appears highly likely that Boston will target international players to jolt the retooling process. Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the most prized possession on the market but he's not the only frontline starter expected to command attention.

"The (Yokohama DeNA) BayStars plan to post Shōta Imanaga this offseason, and Major League teams generally view him as a No. 2 or 3 starter," MLB.com's Jon Morosi wrote Thursday. "Yakyu Cosmopolitan reported last week that 10 teams scouted Imanaga’s most recent start: the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Rangers, Phillies, Cubs, Reds, D-backs, Giants and Padres."

Imanaga has a 2.71 ERA with an elite 163-to-21 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 1.02 WHIP in 136 innings across 20 starts this season.

The 30-year-old will be pursued as a middle-of-the-rotation starter, something the Red Sox desperately need. As with any international free agent, Imanaga will not be subject to a qualifying offer but will require a posting fee. The latter does not impact the luxury tax, so it should not be an issue given Red Sox ownership's deep pockets and sudden feeling of desperation to get the club back toward their winning ways.

It would be wise to take a shot on Imanaga over a similarly talented established big leaguer that would require Boston to give up draft compensation.

The veteran started over both Yu Darvish and Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic championship game against the star-studded Team USA lineup. He escaped with a win after allowing one earned run in two innings of work. He notably struck out St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt -- the reigning National League MVP -- and Baltimore Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins.

More MLB: Red Sox Shut Down Top Prospect After Rocky Second Half Due To Innings Limit

Published Sep 21, 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