SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Red Sox still plan to add to their 2024 team this offseason, team president Sam Kennedy and manager Alex Cora both said Friday.
But do they want to trade one of their high-priced players and slash payroll before signing another free agent?
MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported Dec. 31 that the Red Sox have told at least one free agent target that they need to shed more payroll before pursuing him as aggressively as they want to. The Athletic also reported Jan. 5 that the Boston is likely to reduce payroll before adding another free agent.
Kennedy was asked directly about the Red Sox’s potential desire to shed payroll before signing another free agent.
Kennedy would not say whether the the payroll has already reached that set budget and if it is necessary to subtract players/money via trade to add more in free agency. The payroll right now is around $200 million, well below the $237 million first competitive balance tax threshold.
MassLive reported last month that the front office went into last winter with a mandated budget of $225 million, significantly under the first CBT threshold (then $233 million).
The Red Sox have signed just two free agents — Lucas Giolito (one-year, $19 million, player option for 2025) and Cooper Criswell (one-year, $1 million) — this offseason. They have added and subtracted through trade. They have acquired outfielder Tyler O’Neill and second baseman Vaughn Grissom and subtracted Chris Sale and Alex Verdugo.
