The Boston Red Sox can have a dream offseason this winter, but it will require investments at every level of the free-agent market.
Yes, the Red Sox must add a high-caliber starting pitcher, and that will require a nine-figure investment. But to hit a home run this winter, Boston can and should take a flier on at least one other pitcher who won't break the bank but has the upside to become a rotation star.
Identifying breakout candidates isn't easy, but finding pitchers who could be suffering from the high-scoring environments of their home ballparks is a solid place to start. And Great American Ball Park, where the Cincinnati Reds play, is about as tough a place to pitch as there is in the sport.
Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report identified a group of free agents who "could become superstars" if given a change of scenery. That group included Reds starter/reliever Nick Martinez, who would be the perfect short-term Red Sox signing this winter.
"You can get a sense of the sheer hitter-friendliness of Great American Ball Park, which is especially noteworthy in one way: It is the best park in MLB for home run hitters," Rymer said.
"That's not good for any pitcher, but least of all guys who don't miss bats. Martinez fits that profile, though he has been elite at stifling exit velocity in each of the last two seasons. This year also saw him walk a career-low 3.2 percent of the batters he faced."
Now 34, Martinez doesn't have the long-term track record in the majors of other pitchers his age, thanks to a four-year stint in Japan. But he's put up a 3.31 ERA in 359 innings since returning to the States, and he made a career-high 16 starts in 2024, which included his first big-league complete game.
The other positive is that if Martinez doesn't fully pan out as a starter, the Red Sox are better equipped with depth than in past seasons, with late-season call-ups Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester angling for spots in the rotation. That would allow manager Alex Cora to kick Martinez to a relief ace role, where he could take off once again.
If all it takes is a two-year deal to land a talent like Martinez, the Red Sox shouldn't hesitate to throw money at the veteran righty while still pursuing aces at the top of the free-agent class. This could be an impact signing for a fraction of the cost it would normally take to land a pitcher of Martinez's quality.
