Red Sox Reportedly Lose Bidding War To Cubs For Premier Starting Pitcher
The Boston Red Sox's mysterious lack of desire to win continues to grow after losing out on yet another premier free agent they reportedly coveted.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, like his predecessor, appears to be handcuffed by a ridiculously low budget for one of the biggest brands in baseball.
Just days after losing out on outfielder Teoscar Hernández, the Red Sox lost a bidding war to address the biggest hole on the roster.
"The Chicago Cubs have reached a tentative deal with Japanese pitcher Shota Imanaga," USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday night. "He will undergo a physical in Chicago on Thursday before the deal becomes official."
Imanaga was the third-best starter available behind fellow southpaws Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery -- and appeared to be the top hurler in Boston's made-up price range.
He was not going to save the Red Sox but he was a strong option to bolster the rotation and his acquisition would have proved the team is capable of winning some bidding wars.
At this point, it feels like the only chance for Breslow to land a notable starter would be via trade -- potentially costing a top prospect such as shortstop Marcelo Mayer, outfielder Roman Anthony or catcher Kyle Teel in the process.
Otherwise, the Red Sox likely would pivot to back-end arms such as James Paxton or Hyun-jin Ryu.
Marcus Stroman appears to be affordable enough and could pitch like an ace or No. 2 but there hasn't been much to link the two sides at this juncture.
The most confusing aspect of this offseason has been that the ownership group's actions aid nobody.
Yes, the cost of winning is frontloaded but the overall rewards are higher when Boston is competitive. Merch sales fly up, tickets are sold out and more expensive. That's not even factoring in home playoff games.
All they are doing is getting less out of one of their largest assets and we now know they have no intent to sell. It's as perplexing as it is frustrating.
More MLB: Red Sox Insider Reveals Whether Ownership Group Intends To Sell Team Amid Rumors
