New Red Sox head of baseball operations
Chaim Bloom has a clear mandate from owner
John Henry—get under the luxury tax threshold (or at least don't land at the most punishing levels of the MLB penalty). The first cost-cutting shot heard across the the bow of the good ship
Carmine Hose was
the trade of Sandy Leon to the Tribe. Leon was due almost $3 million in 2020 and just wasn't productive enough to justify that price-tag as a back-up. Also gone is IF
Marco Hernandez—a curious move given the shaky status of
Dustin Pedroia for the upcoming season (although the Sox may bring Hernandez back at a lower pay grade). Rumors are flying about Boston latching on to a bevy of mediocre free-agents to hold to Henry's pocketbook demands. Do you really want these guys on the 2020 roster, though: (catchers)
Josh Phlegly,
Kevin Plawecki or
Luke Maile; (2B)
Jose Peraza; (pitchers)
Aaron Sanchez,
Tajuan Walker,
Blake Treinen? Yikes! Stay tuned—it's going to be a bumpy Winter Meetings.
