Active Red Sox Reportedly Make Multi-Year Offer To Familiar Fireballer
In this story:
The Boston Red Sox may not need to fill as many holes in the starting rotation as was expected.
Boston entered the offseason with many questions about who would find themselves in the starting rotation in 2023. Chris Sale is still under contract along with Nick Pivetta and Brayan Bello. Garrett Whitlock sounds like he may have a role locked down and Tanner Houck also has a chance to start. Michael Wacha, Rich Hill, and Nathan Eovaldi seemed poised to leave the team in free agency, but things may be changing.
The Red Sox surprised many and offered the fireballer a qualifying offer that would tie him to Boston in 2023. If he accepted, he would play in Boston in 2023 on a deal worth $19.65 million.
Boston and Eovaldi's camp reportedly have continued negotiations since the qualifying offer was given out and it sounds like it may not be all. Boston has now offered the 32-year-old a long-term deal to remain with the Red Sox, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford.
While Bradford notes that no deal is imminent, the two sides reportedly are very open to getting a deal done. Eovaldi was acquired by the Red Sox at the 2018 trade deadline and has since been one of the most consistent arms in the Boston rotation even earning his lone All-Star appearance in 2021.
Spotrac projects Eovaldi to command a deal with an annual value of $16,733,880 after an injury-riddled 2022 campaign. Eovaldi still impressed for Boston last season and sported a rotation second-best 3.87 ERA, but only compiled 20 starts and 109 1/3 innings pitched.
If the Red Sox and Eovaldi can come to terms on a new deal, it would be the right-hander's second long-term deal in Boston. Eovaldi and Boston came to terms on a four-year, $68 million deal ahead of the 2019 season.
Eovaldi has until Nov. 20 to accept the qualifying offer for the 2023 season.
More MLB: These Two Teams Reportedly Red Sox's Biggest Threat In Xander Bogaerts Sweepstakes
