The Boston Red Sox are reportedly interested in David Price, Johnny Cueto and Zack Greinke this offseason, as the team wants to add a free agent pitcher to the starting rotation. The team has also been mentioned in connection with Alex Gordon and in trade rumors involving outfielder Jackie Bradley.
The Red Sox are expected to spend this offseason in free agency and the starting rotation is one main area of need. The market has big names like David Price, Johnny Cueto and Zack Greinke as free agents along with players like Jeff Samardzija and Mike Leake and president Dave Dombrowski could target some of those top players. According to MLB Network analyst and Sports Illustrated writer Tom Verducci, the Red Sox are a main target for Price, as Dombrowski is going "all in" on the pitcher.
Dombrowski has a connection to Price after bringing over the pitcher in a trade when he was with the Detroit Tigers and he could look at Price as an option to take over as the ace of the pitching staff. Dombrowski has already been busy reshaping the bullpen for the Red Sox with the trade for Craig Kimbrel and he could do the same with the starting rotation. Pitching was one of the main weak spots for the Red Sox last season and if the Kimbrel trade is any indication, Dombrowski has the power to make some big moves and the team looks like they are in "win now" mode.
Price is one of the top names on the market at any position and he comes in after being the Cy Young award runner-up, going 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA for the Blue Jays and the Tigers. Price is expected to be a target for the Chicago Cubs and David Kaplan of CSN Chicago reports that the Blue Jays will make a run at trying to keep Price in Toronto. Jon Heyman at CBS Sports reports that Price could get a contract worth $180-$200 million and that is a price range the Red Sox can afford if they want to spend.
Ken Rosenthal at Fox Sports reports that the Red Sox will look to sign at least one ace pitcher and if they miss out on Price, they could go hard after Greinke or Cueto. Heyman reports that the San Francisco Giants are looking to sign Greinke away from the Los Angeles Dodgers and that LA could go after Price if Greinke leaves. Cueto is also going to get attention on the market, but he may not sign until after Greinke and Price get contracts.
The Red Sox may also look at making moves in the outfield, as Joel Sherman at the New York Post reports that Alex Gordon is a potential target for the team. Sherman writes that the team could consider making a trade with Jackie Bradley to free up an outfield spot and sign Gordon to join Rusney Castillo and Mookie Betts as starters. Bradley reportedly is a target for multiple teams, including the Cubs and Royals, according to WEEI.com.
In other Red Sox news, David Ortiz has announced that he will be retiring after the 2016 season with Boston.
