Red Sox Rumors: Shōta Imanaga, Lucas Giolito Among FA Pitchers Connected to BOS
December 29, 2023
The Boston Red Sox are looking for pitching help, and they may turn to free agency to get it.
Japanese league lefty Shōta Imanaga and former Cleveland Guardians right-hander Lucas Giolito have been connected with the Red Sox in free agency, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
The Red Sox have also been tied to World Series star Jordan Montgomery, per Heyman.
James Paxton, who put up a 7-5 record in 19 starts for the Red Sox last season on a $4 million player option, also "has a decent chance to return," according to Heyman.
The Red Sox, a team with a combined ERA of 4.52 last season, will need to retool on the mound in order to compete in the AL East in 2024.
Imanaga, 30, was the second Japanese league pitcher to join MLB free agency after Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Like Yamamoto, he is projected to become an MLB starter.
In 159 innings with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars last season, Imanaga struck out 29.5 percent of his batters, far exceeding the league average 19.6 percent strikeout rate, per CBS Sports' Mike Axisa and RJ Anderson.
Imanaga won't net a deal as larger as Yamamoto's, but he would still be a costly option. ESPN's Jeff Passan predicted earlier this month that the pitcher could command as much as $100 million.
Giolito is looking to join his fourth team in two seasons after playing for the Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Guardians in 2023.
Despite ending the campaign with a 7.04 ERA through six starts in Cleveland, Giolito was solid during his season-opening stint in Chicago. Heyman wrote in November that Giolito is expected to earn between $50 million and $80 million next season.
Montgomery has been tied to several potential suitors in free agency after he helped lead the Texas Rangers to the World Series with a 2.90 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 31 postseason innings.
Alternatively, the Red Sox could go for a known quantity in Paxton, whose two-year club option they declined back in 2022.
Despite his underwhelming season-end 4.50 ERA, Paxton showed flashes of dominance in the first half of the season, when he recorded a 2.73 ERA in 56 innings.
If he is able to stay healthy, a significant question considering that Paxton began his Boston career recovering from Tommy John surgery and ended his 2023 season on the IL with right knee inflammation, he could be a solid addition to the Red Sox rotation for a more affordable price than Imanaga or Giolito.
