As the current iteration of the Red Sox reports to Fenway South for the official start of spring training this week, two key members of the team’s 2024 pitching staff remain available as free agents.
Starter Nick Pivetta and closer Kenley Jansen are two of the top unsigned players as camps get underway across Florida and Arizona this week. Considering both veterans pitched pretty well last season, it’s a surprising fact. And though neither pitcher is a great fit to return to the Red Sox at this point, their markets are worth monitoring because of some ripple effects on Boston.
Pivetta, who pitched to a 4.14 ERA and struck out 172 batters in 145 ⅔ innings last season, no longer has a clear path to a rotation spot in Boston after the club added Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to a mix that includes returnees Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Lucas Giolito earlier in the offseason. Pivetta had the option to return by accepting the one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer in November but declined — a decision that has seemed to greatly impact his market in the months since. Teams are clearly hesitant to sign Pivetta — a proven mid-rotation arm who can eat innings but has never really hit his ceiling — because they’d have to give up a draft pick to do so. The fact he’s still unsigned reflects that clubs feel that’s a hefty price to pay.
To that end, the Red Sox would love to see Pivetta sign elsewhere soon. If he reaches a deal with another club, Boston will receive a compensation pick before the third round in July’s draft (at our around the 77th overall pick). The only way that doesn’t happen is he signs after the draft (considering that would mean he waits until the All-Star break, unlikely) or re-signs.
Considering what seems to be a depressed market, there’s at least a small chance Pivetta finds a soft landing back with the Red Sox on a short-term deal as a reliever/swingman. But it remains more likely he finds a home elsewhere, potentially after a team suffers a rotation injury during spring training or trades another arm. He has been loosely linked to the Padres, Blue Jays, Mets and Reds as a free agent.
Jansen, who ranks fourth all time with 447 saves, is one of the most accomplished unsigned relievers. He pitched to a 3.29 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 54 ⅔ innings while recording 27 saves in 31 chances. Working against him is age (pitching this year at 37) and a lack of clear suitors who will allow him to close — and chase down 500 saves — as he wishes. The Yankees and Dodgers, two clubs Jansen had interest in signing with, filled their ninth-inning openings with Devin Williams and Tanner Scott, respectively. The Cubs were linked before acquiring Ryan Pressly from the Astros and the Mets, who were said to have some interest, couldn’t give Jansen the ninth inning because they have Edwin Diaz. The Tigers and Blue Jays make some sense at this point.
Jansen’s market impacts the Red Sox in some indirect ways. It appears the door is closed on a reunion after the ugly way things ended between the sides in late September, when Jansen walked out on the club with about a week left. But Boston, as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Friday, is still looking for a late-inning bullpen arm, potentially with high-leverage experience. Where Jansen lands could have an effect on who the Red Sox pursue.
Free agents David Robertson and Kyle Finnegan likely have similar suitors as Jansen and a team like the Padres (Robert Suárez) or Cardinals (Ryan Helsley) could open up the ninth-inning by trading their incumbent closer. The dominoes are all related.
Of MLBTradeRumors’ top 50 free agents this winter, only seven remain unsigned. Infielder Alex Bregman, who has been linked to the Red Sox for months, is the top-ranked unsigned player (No. 3) with pitchers Andrew Heaney (25), Pivetta (28), José Quintana (31), Kyle Gibson (41), Robertson (47) and Spencer Turnbull (50) also available. Jansen is listed as an honorable mention on that list.
Pivetta and Jansen are not the only ex-Red Sox who remain unsigned. Alex Verdugo, Justin Turner, J.D. Martinez, José Iglesias, Lucas Sims, Luis García, Jalen Beeks, Kevin Pillar, Craig Kimbrel, Joe Kelly, Adam Duvall, Jake Diekman, Kyle Hart and Daniel Bard are among the other available players who remain free.
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