Will the Red Sox spend money and pursue top free agents? “We’re going to get busy”

SAN ANTONIO – The million dollar question remains this offseason: Red Sox will spend big money and compete for the best free agents.

Team chairman Tom Werner said early last offseason that The Red Sox planned to make every effort to improve the roster. This never happened. Boston only issued $52.25 million in guaranteed money. In free agency, they went to Lucas Giolito ($38.5 million), Liam Hendricks ($10 million), Joely Rodriguez ($1.5 million), Chase Anderson ($1.25 million) and Cooper Criswell ($1 million). ).

“I think it’s different. I think it should be different,” Breslow said of this offseason here at general manager meetings. “I know a lot more about this organization. I think we know a lot more about our players. Thus, better information allows us to make more informed decisions. Ultimately, our goal is to provide fans with a team capable of winning the World Series every year. That’s how we approach the offseason.”

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Breslow was asked directly whether the Red Sox are in a better position to potentially engage with top-tier free agents this offseason than they were last winter.

“Without going into too much detail, I think we have to be open to improving our team, and I don’t think we’re shy about the fact that our group of position players is further along than our group of pitchers,” Breslow said. “And in terms of upgrades, it will take some truly elite talent to improve the group of position players in certain cases. So we’ll kind of focus our attention accordingly. But we are going to interact. We’re going to look at everything that we think will make us better.”

The Red Sox have several needs.including right-handed hitterfrontline starting pitcher and several pitchers.

Corbin Burns, Blake Snell, Max Fried, Yusei Kikuchi, Jack Flaherty and Sean Manaea are among the top free agent pitchers.

Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Aroldis Chapman and Kirby Yates are among the top free agent relievers.

Teoscar Hernandez, Gleyber Torres, Pete Alonso, Willie Adames, Alex Bregman, Christian Walker and Jurickson Profar are among the top right-handed hitters in free agency. (Profar is a striker.)

Free agency is obviously not the only route. The Red Sox could make a deal to acquire a starter. what it might mean to lose one of your top four prospects.

“The goal is to build the strongest possible team and we need to be flexible. To do that, we need to be open to multiple paths,” Breslow said.