Red Sox Wish List; How Boston Can Successfully Build Out Roster
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The Boston Red Sox offseason has not gone to plan. Some would say it's gone about as bad as it could so far.
That said, there still is plenty of talent on the roster and a path to success -- maybe even postseason success should a few more pieces fall into place.
Here is the Red Sox Wish List for the remainder of the offseason:
A notable and reliable starter
The big dogs on the starting pitching market have been scooped up, but there still are some fringe frontline starters that could make an impact on the 2023 Red Sox roster.
Of the remaining options, Nathan Eovaldi (6-3, 3.87 ERA last season) is the top talent remaining. Conflicting reports have come out regarding the 32-year-old's interest in returning to Boston, but the front office would be wise to make a late push.
If not Eovaldi, turning to Michael Wacha would provide a boost as well -- though last season (11-2, 3.32 ERA) appeared to be more of an outlier than a new norm for the 31-year-old with concerning underlying metrics.
As far as external options go, Corey Kluber (10-10, 4.34 ERA), ex-Red Sox Wade Miley (2-2, 3.16 ERA) or an unknown trade commodity would make sense to provide much-needed depth.
Trey Mancini
While most Red Sox fans would consider a middle infield addition to be top of mind, Mancini could be the right-handed impact bat Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has been searching for.
The 30-year-old slugger hit .239 with 42 extra-base hits including 18 home runs, 63 RBIs and a .710 OPS in 143 games between the Baltimore Orioles and Houston Astros last season.
Mancini was a much better hitter while playing for the O's, slashing .268/.347./.404 with a 113 OPS+ against a tough American League East. His time in Houston torpedoed his game-level stats, but his career numbers speak for themselves.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound masher could compete with Justin Turner for the primary designated hitter role, while filling in at first base and the corner outfield spots.
His bat and role could be repetitive with Turner, but the bench is looking quite shallow at the moment and the team still is in need of a right-handed bat.
Jean Segura
The Boston Red Sox front office reportedly are unsure of how to shore up their middle infield following the departure of Xander Bogaerts.
A trade target could emerge -- Miami Marlins utility man Joey Wendle has been in rumors as a player to watch -- but Segura is the clear leader in the free-agent market.
The 32-year-old middle infielder hit .277 with 19 extra-base hits including 10 home runs, 33 RBIs and a .723 OPS in 98 games for the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies last season.
Segura is a solid offensive contributor and league-average defender at both shortstop and second base. Whether Trevor Story moves over to the left side of the diamond or not, Segura would be a strong fit.
Elvis Andrus would not be a terrible option either, but Segura has a clear edge.
The Red Sox's lack of free-spending this offseason has left fans in the know desperate for a notable trade -- something Bloom claims to be in search of.
While a "significant" trade sounds appealing, the market has been quiet. Outside of Pittsburgh Pirates star outfielder Bryan Reynolds, there aren't many big names to place on the wish list. Even Reynolds would cost such a large haul of prospects + major-league-ready talent that a trade could hurt more than help.
A trade for an impact player would be the best-case scenario, but these three options are available and would make the roster look a lot more appealing entering 2023.
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