Red Sox Gain Momentum as Top Suitor for Coveted Reliever

The Boston Red Sox ended 2024 by making waves in the offseason, with their sights set on bolstering their roster through free agency and trades. According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the Boston Red Sox have emerged as the “clear front-runners” to sign left-hander Tanner Scott, further solidifying their position in the competitive American League East.

“The Red Sox are clear front-runners for Scott. Their chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, was a left-handed reliever in his playing days and seems obsessed with corralling lefty pitchers: He’s already signed three of them in free agency (Patrick Sandoval, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Wilson) and acquired two more via trades (Garrett Crochet, Jovani Moran). Red Sox manager Alex Cora prefers a single closer and Scott is the best one available.”

Scott, 30, has plenty of strikeout power, but things didn’t come together for him until the 2023 season. Over the last two seasons, Scott owns a 2.04 ERA, 31.3% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate in 150 innings with the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres. Scott gave up six home runs and a 50.4% grounder rate in that span.

Breaking Down the Red Sox’s Free Agency Pursuit of Tanner Scott

Scott, a hard-throwing reliever, would be a significant addition to the Red Sox bullpen. His ability to miss bats and limit home runs would be a valuable asset in the late innings. With the Red Sox already bolstering their left-handed relief corps, the signing of Scott would further strengthen their pitching depth.

Boston is without an obvious closer, with Kenley Jansen a free agent after two seasons with the Red Sox. However, they do have options in Chapman, Liam Hendriks and Justin Slaten. The addition of Scott would be a welcoming addition all around.

Notably, this isn’t the only high-profile free agent Jim Bowden believes will land in Boston. In addition to predicting the Red Sox would sign Scott, Bowden also forecasted that the team would secure the services of Alex Bregman. The move would address another area for the Red Sox, who have been seeking to balance their lineup with a potent right-handed bat.

With Bregman’s impressive resume and Scott’s dominant left-handed pitching, the Red Sox could be poised for a significant surge after multiple last-place finishes in the AL East.

While the Red Sox appear to be the front-runners for Scott, other teams are still in the running. The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants are strong candidates, as both teams could use an upgrade at their closer position. Additional possible destinations for Scott include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks.