What's Next For Red Sox? These Three Former All-Stars May Be Worth Second Look By Boston

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is right around the corner but there still may be moves to be made for the Boston Red Sox.

Boston finished in last place in the American League East in 2022 with a subpar 78-84 record so there is plenty of growth for the club in 2023. The Red Sox have made some interesting additions already this offseason, but there still are some players on the open market that could be worth a second look by Boston.

Here are three former All-Stars the Red Sox should consider signing:

Gary Sanchez - Catcher
Boston certainly knows Sanchez well. The slugger began his Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees in 2015 and spent the first seven years of his career with the club. Sanchez may not be an on-base machine, but he does have plenty of power. To make matters better, he has greatly improved his defense. At one point he was one of, if not the worst defensive catchers in all of baseball but was average defensively in 2022.

Sanchez still is a free agent and at this point certainly wouldn't cost Boston much. The Red Sox currently have Connor Wong and Reese McGuire on the 40-man roster and intriguing slugger Jorge Alfaro on a minor-league deal. The Red Sox recently kicked the tire on the idea of adding former Gold Glove winner Roberto Perez but missed out. If the Red Sox were to ink Sanchez to a minor league contract or cheap one-year deal, a move may make sense to add some more depth and some extra pop to the lineup.

Corey Knebel - Right-Handed Relief Pitcher
The 31-year-old would be an intriguing bullpen option if the Red Sox were to make a move. The Red Sox have been more connected to left-handed relievers lately, but with the addition, Richard Bleier may not need to go that route any longer.

Knebel is a one-time All-Star and has a career ERA of 3.26 in eight seasons in the MLB. The righty played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022 and compiled a 3.43 ERA across 46 appearances. He shined even brighter in 2021 with a 2.45 ERA, although a smaller sample size with just 27 games played. To make matters better, Knebel finished 2022 in the 80th percentile for fastball velocity, 81st percentile for fastball spin rate, and 89th percentile for curveball spin rate.

Chris Archer - Starting Pitcher
The former Tampa Bay Rays hurler may not be what he once was, but he could be an intriguing option for Boston on a minor league deal or one-year contract. Archer is a two-time All-Star but has dealt with a plethora of injuries in recent years.

The 34-year-old finished 2-8 in 2022 with a 4.56 ERA as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Archer may be six years removed from his last All-Star game, but he wouldn't have to be a star to help out the Red Sox. If he's healthy and can find his form, he could be a solid back-of-the-rotation option for Boston or at the very least a high-end minor league option. If the Red Sox could sign Archer to the minors it would be a no-lose scenario for the club. Either Archer would shine and find his way to the big leagues, or he wouldn't cost much and remain in the minors. At the very least, there's certainly an upside.

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