The Boston Red Sox’s roster is officially at its offseason starting point.
Friday was the last true deadline that needed to pass before hot stove season could begin in earnest. Teams had until 5 p.m. ET to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players before they would instead become free agents.
The Red Sox non-tendered two players, though virtually the entire world knew those moves would happen, and now the roster is as set as it will be until the team makes its first splashy trade or signing.
Red Sox non-tender Lowe, Winckowski
As the Red Sox announced on social media, both first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and right-handed pitcher Josh Winckowski were non-tendered ahead of the aforementioned deadline. Both players were designated for assignment on Tuesday to clear 40-man roster space, so neither move could be classified as a surprise.
Lowe, a 2023 World Series champion, joined his former Texas Rangers teammates Adolis GarcÃa, Jonah Heim, and Josh Sborz in free agency, as all three were also non-tendered by Texas on Friday.
Though Lowe didn’t perform poorly in his month and a half as a Red Sox, he was projected for an arbitration salary well above $10 million thanks to all of his early-career accolades and World Series status. The Red Sox will welcome Triston Casas back from injury at some point next year and are also expected to be active in the free-agent market, possibly eyeing New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.
Winckowski, meanwhile, threw just 11 2/3 innings for the Red Sox this year after being a major factor as a leverage reliever in 2023, and a somewhat lesser factor as a swingman in 2024.
Of the 40 players on the Red Sox’s active roster, only four are without a guaranteed salary for next season and are eligible for arbitration: Casas, right-handed pitchers Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck, and infielder Romy Gonzalez.
The next roster news we should hear from the Red Sox will either be a trade or a free-agent signing, which means it’s officially time to start watching the hot stove with a close eye.
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