Boston Red Sox Can’t Get Anyone To Sign With Them

The Boston Red Sox have made very few additions this offseason.

After some public run-ins with the Red Sox coaching staff, outfielder Alex Verdugo was traded to the New York Yankees for three pitching prospects. To replace him, Boston then made a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, getting Tyler O'Neill for two other pitchers.

Pretty exciting, impactful moves that gets a fan base excited, right?

Meanwhile, the Yankees have added Juan Soto and remain favorites to sign free agent starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Across the country, the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani and the Giants added Jung Hoo-Lee on a six-year, $113 million deal.

Well if you ask Red Sox manager Alex Cora about it, he says players aren't coming not for a lack of effort. They just haven't agreed to come play in Boston.

“We’re working. (New GM Craig Breslow) is working, the group is working, it just hasn’t happened, yet,” Cora said according to the Boston Herald. “But it hasn’t happened (business-wide). These two guys have dominated the game, Ohtani dominated the whole Winter Meetings, Yamamoto is doing the same thing right now, and in this case I believe it’s taking longer because the guy is really intrigued with the possible teams he might play.”

FT. MYERS, Fla. - Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox addresses the media during a press conference during a spring training team workout on February 21, 2021 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox Have A Lot Of Needs, Not A Lot Of Action

Cora continued on Yamamoto, saying that he understands that the process is taking a while because it'll be a long-term commitment. And that the hold up is affecting the rest of the market.

“He’s doing his homework and he’s doing everything possible to get to know organizations and I believe he’s doing what he’s supposed to,” Cora said. “It’s a big deal, this is not a one-year deal or a two-year deal with an opt out after next year, no no no, this is game-changing, not only for him or his agency but for the organization that ends up with him. He’s taking his time and because he’s taking his time the other guys have to be patient.”

That's all well and good, but Boston has a lot of needs, and even signing Yamamoto won't fix all of them.

The Red Sox pitching staff ranked 21st in baseball last season in ERA, and their starters were even worse. At 4.68, the rotation ERA ranked 11th in the American League. That rotation, according to the team's official depth chart, has just four starters in it. The corps of Chris Sale, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck.

In a division where the Yankees are being aggressive, the Orioles return the core of a 100-win team, the Blue Jays have a dangerously powerful offense and the Rays constantly find obscure success stories, that's simply not good enough.

Adding Yamamoto is all well and good, if he spurns the Yankees, Mets or Dodgers. But Blake Snell is available and Jordan Montgomery is too. They need a lot of help. And according to Cora, they're trying and failing to add it.

Not exactly an encouraging sign for Red Sox fans.