“The Red Sox are still exploring adding top-of-the-rotation starters to their current mix, but Sandoval’s addition further builds out the club’s depth” per Jen McCaffrey
December 20, 2024
“The Red Sox are still exploring adding top-of-the-rotation starters to their current mix, but Sandoval’s addition further builds out the club’s depth” per Jen McCaffrey
19 comments
I feel like I’m Charlie Brown, and John Henry is Lucy holding the football
Great news if true!
Seem to be collecting post TJ lotto tix which isn’t even an awful strategy over time, just much better if they can get some low-risk upside on the back end with a club option if the player regains previous form
> The 28-year-old Sandoval, who had Tommy John surgery in June and is still rehabbing, is expected to be ready sometime in the second half of the season. The Red Sox are still exploring adding top-of-the-rotation starters to their current mix, but Sandoval’s addition further builds out the club’s depth.
> The deal marks the third time since joining the Red Sox in October 2023 that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has signed players in the middle of rehabs from elbow surgery. Last offseason, Breslow signed Liam Hendriks and Michael Fulmer to two-year deals while both were recovering from elbow surgery with the intent of them contributing more in the second year of the deal. The idea behind the agreement is to sign a pitcher with a solid track record on lower terms before he hits the market fully recovered from the surgery.
Really think that this only reinforces the idea that people need to chill out with the overreactions every time a move is made. This is a totally sound move if he replaces Giolito in 2026 at the back end of the rotation, on top of being available for a hopeful playoff push in 2025
There’s still a lot of moves left to be had with $40+ million in payroll before the 1st luxury tax.
Not sure if they know what “depth” is.
It’s not depth when the guy won’t even be playing until the 2nd half of the season, if we’re lucky.
If they end up with Castillo which so far seems to be coming along slowly and they sign either Bregman,Hernandez or Santander then the pick up of Sandoval is a cheeky little move. A possible starter on a discount rate with room on the depth chart anyway? Sounds decent enough to me
Exploring kings
I’ve been peeking at the sub since the deal was announced. I just cannot understand why this sub can’t look at this deal and see that it’s pretty low risk and a potentially great depth add. I’m going to get brigaded for this, but it makes me feel like a good portion of people here don’t follow the wider MLB and when someone these guys get signed, they have no idea who the player is and get frustrated it’s not a huge name. Not everyone in the off-season will be a huge name. You can still look at depth and go “there’s a piece that could be really helpful.”
I’m not trying to gatekeep fandom, either. Be a fan however you want. But Patrick Sandoval is a solid pitcher and if you can stash him on your 60-day IL you do it immediately. If youre not familiar with him, go read up on him. He was a good pitcher for a franchise (the Angels) that has been almost completely incapable of developing pitching.
He’s not Corbin Burnes, sure. But not everyone you sign will be and as far as we know right now, he’s not a replacement for a top of the line starter. You have to have several guys who are starting pitchers that can get innings for you if you want to compete. The cost is fine. That’s how much pitchers cost. I’m frustrated about this organization, too. But have some perspective.
This feels like the insurance move they wanted to make themselves feel okay if they don’t get anyone else and then they’ll expect crochet to be a workhorse suddenly and run his arm into the ground trying to push him as much as they can. This is why crochet was demanding an extension immediately upon being traded, he didn’t want a contending team to grab a guy who just missed 2 years, make him their ace, and run his elbow into the dirt again before free agency
When you get home from work and check the latest Red Sox news:
Here’s our fallback that isn’t really a fallback but that only guy we will actually get.
Ya I’m pessimistic cause this team’s history tells me to be, cheap asses l!
We already had rotation depth. The problem is they were all 5th starters, unproven, or hurt. Don’t sign anyone else unless they can actually improve the rotation for opening day.
If nothing else I’m glad Breslow is making starting pitching depth a priority. We have plenty of arms that you can at least feel okay about starting a game for you and going 5-6 innings. It’s a marked improvement from the 2022-23 bullpen-game palooza.
Uh huh.
I just really don’t get the negativity around this deal. Could be shrewd business, could be a nothing burger. It literally doesn’t change anything else, not sure why people are acting like it’s an insult when the team signs any player that’s not a $200 million ace.
It’s a good, low-risk move. But they are 45 million under the first payroll threshold, and have some of the highest ticket prices in baseball. Just want them to spend money (smartly of course…) but they have been too conservative for years now.
Would love to have Teoscar, who should be had for a shorter-term deal. Just give more AAV. They need a bat with O’Neil gone. The kids may still take some time to come up this year.
Red Sox FO on Pimp my ride:
Yo dawg we heard you like 4th and 5th starters…so we loaded your rotation with 4th and 5th starters.
19 comments
I feel like I’m Charlie Brown, and John Henry is Lucy holding the football
Great news if true!
Seem to be collecting post TJ lotto tix which isn’t even an awful strategy over time, just much better if they can get some low-risk upside on the back end with a club option if the player regains previous form
> The 28-year-old Sandoval, who had Tommy John surgery in June and is still rehabbing, is expected to be ready sometime in the second half of the season. The Red Sox are still exploring adding top-of-the-rotation starters to their current mix, but Sandoval’s addition further builds out the club’s depth.
> The deal marks the third time since joining the Red Sox in October 2023 that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has signed players in the middle of rehabs from elbow surgery. Last offseason, Breslow signed Liam Hendriks and Michael Fulmer to two-year deals while both were recovering from elbow surgery with the intent of them contributing more in the second year of the deal. The idea behind the agreement is to sign a pitcher with a solid track record on lower terms before he hits the market fully recovered from the surgery.
Really think that this only reinforces the idea that people need to chill out with the overreactions every time a move is made. This is a totally sound move if he replaces Giolito in 2026 at the back end of the rotation, on top of being available for a hopeful playoff push in 2025
There’s still a lot of moves left to be had with $40+ million in payroll before the 1st luxury tax.
Not sure if they know what “depth” is.
It’s not depth when the guy won’t even be playing until the 2nd half of the season, if we’re lucky.
If they end up with Castillo which so far seems to be coming along slowly and they sign either Bregman,Hernandez or Santander then the pick up of Sandoval is a cheeky little move. A possible starter on a discount rate with room on the depth chart anyway? Sounds decent enough to me
Exploring kings
I’ve been peeking at the sub since the deal was announced. I just cannot understand why this sub can’t look at this deal and see that it’s pretty low risk and a potentially great depth add. I’m going to get brigaded for this, but it makes me feel like a good portion of people here don’t follow the wider MLB and when someone these guys get signed, they have no idea who the player is and get frustrated it’s not a huge name. Not everyone in the off-season will be a huge name. You can still look at depth and go “there’s a piece that could be really helpful.”
I’m not trying to gatekeep fandom, either. Be a fan however you want. But Patrick Sandoval is a solid pitcher and if you can stash him on your 60-day IL you do it immediately. If youre not familiar with him, go read up on him. He was a good pitcher for a franchise (the Angels) that has been almost completely incapable of developing pitching.
He’s not Corbin Burnes, sure. But not everyone you sign will be and as far as we know right now, he’s not a replacement for a top of the line starter. You have to have several guys who are starting pitchers that can get innings for you if you want to compete. The cost is fine. That’s how much pitchers cost. I’m frustrated about this organization, too. But have some perspective.
This feels like the insurance move they wanted to make themselves feel okay if they don’t get anyone else and then they’ll expect crochet to be a workhorse suddenly and run his arm into the ground trying to push him as much as they can. This is why crochet was demanding an extension immediately upon being traded, he didn’t want a contending team to grab a guy who just missed 2 years, make him their ace, and run his elbow into the dirt again before free agency
When you get home from work and check the latest Red Sox news:
Here’s our fallback that isn’t really a fallback but that only guy we will actually get.
Ya I’m pessimistic cause this team’s history tells me to be, cheap asses l!
We already had rotation depth. The problem is they were all 5th starters, unproven, or hurt. Don’t sign anyone else unless they can actually improve the rotation for opening day.
If nothing else I’m glad Breslow is making starting pitching depth a priority. We have plenty of arms that you can at least feel okay about starting a game for you and going 5-6 innings. It’s a marked improvement from the 2022-23 bullpen-game palooza.
Uh huh.
I just really don’t get the negativity around this deal. Could be shrewd business, could be a nothing burger. It literally doesn’t change anything else, not sure why people are acting like it’s an insult when the team signs any player that’s not a $200 million ace.
It’s a good, low-risk move. But they are 45 million under the first payroll threshold, and have some of the highest ticket prices in baseball. Just want them to spend money (smartly of course…) but they have been too conservative for years now.
Would love to have Teoscar, who should be had for a shorter-term deal. Just give more AAV. They need a bat with O’Neil gone. The kids may still take some time to come up this year.
Red Sox FO on Pimp my ride:
Yo dawg we heard you like 4th and 5th starters…so we loaded your rotation with 4th and 5th starters.