The offseason is still weeks away, but the Boston Red Sox and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will have to plan their course of action to add pieces to their roster to build a contender for the short and long term.
Boston has 11 players who could hit the market in free agency, including right-handed reliever Lucas Sims, who the Red Sox acquired at the trade deadline from the Cincinnati Reds for pitching prospect Ovis Portes.
Sims, 30, looked good with Cincinnati, posting a 3.57 ERA and a 1.415 WHIP while striking out 40 batters in 43 outings. However, his numbers dipped drastically in Boston, as he recorded a 6.43 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP while striking out nine batters in 15 appearances.
Now, Sims will become a free agent after the conclusion of the World Series, and Spotrac projects that he'll receive a four-year deal worth $15.76 million.
Spotrac compared Sims' production to Archie Bradley (signed a one-year deal for $720,000), Kirby Yates (signed a one-year deal for $4.5 million), C.J. Edwards (signed a one-year deal for $740,000) and Dominic Leone (signed a one-year deal for $1.5 million).
The Red Sox will be looking to rebuild their bullpen this offseason, and Sims is someone they could consider bringing back at the right price. However, it wouldn't be surprising to find out the Breslow wants to move on from both Sims and Luis Garcia, the two relievers he traded for at the deadline.
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