Should Boston be aggressive in pursuing bullpen help?
The Red Sox have had a solid offseason in terms of pitching thus far. They signed a new ace in Garrett Crochet, a high-risk, high-reward free agent in Walker Buehler, and a lefty with great upside in Patrick Sandoval, who is expected to return from Tommy John surgery in the second half.
However, all three of these additions are starting pitchers. The Red Sox’s lone attempt to enhance their bullpen thus far has been to sign Aroldis Chapman, a 36-year-old Cuban flamethrower who they hope still has something in the tank.
With closer Kenley Jansen leaving in free agency, the Red Sox could probably use another option to close out games. Tanner Scott, a former San Diego Padres playoff standout and 2024 All-Star, is the apparent top free agent in the bullpen.
In a recent Instagram post, content creator Steven Russell projected that the Red Sox would sign Scott, giving them a much deeper back end of the bullpen before Opening Day arrives.
“The Red Sox have been going crazy with their pitching signings,” Russell informed me. “I love the idea of them signing Tanner Scott.”
Last season, Scott, 30, had a 1.75 ERA in 72 innings and struck out 84 batters. In 150 innings since the start of the 2023 season, his ERA is 2.04, with 188 strikeouts. He’s also made significant progress in reducing his walks, nearly lowering his rate from the 2021-2022 seasons.
The Red Sox have prioritized pitchers with swing-and-miss stuff, which Scott possesses in abundance. He’s the best closer currently available, and one might argue that Boston still requires a closer. Will they be willing to pay whatever the market values Scott at in order to acquire their prize?
