The Boston Red Sox are still in the market for bullpen reinforcements and, like many other teams, had their eyes on left-hander Tanner Scott, who pitched for the San Diego Padres last season. However, on Sunday, Scott chose to sign a four-year, $72 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, joining the already stacked World Series champions.
Scott’s decision marks another major acquisition for the Dodgers, who have already added stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernández, and Roki Sasaki in recent offseasons.
While the Red Sox were actively pursuing Scott, a report from baseball insider Bob Nightengale suggested that Boston had offered Scott more money and a longer contract, but he still chose Los Angeles. However, this claim was quickly debunked by sources close to the situation, as reported by Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
With Scott off the table, the Red Sox are now refocusing on securing a reliable bullpen arm, aiming to bolster the back end of games for a starting rotation that looks promising, reminiscent of their World Series-winning team from 2018.
Boston media insiders, including Cotillo and John Tomase, predict the team will target a few remaining options. One potential candidate is a former Yankees reliever who was once despised in Boston for his dominance: David Robertson.
At 39, Robertson had a solid season with the Texas Rangers, posting one of his best strikeout rates and deciding to decline his $7 million option to explore free agency. Tomase believes Robertson could be a perfect fit for the Red Sox, calling him a “leader” who can contribute immediately. Tomase predicts a one-year, $14 million deal for Robertson, and Cotillo also suggests a short-term, high-AAV contract would make sense for the veteran.
Despite turning 40 in April, Robertson is projected to deliver a solid 3.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 68 innings next season, making him a valuable asset for the Red Sox bullpen.
