What does the Red Sox 40-Man Roster look like in 2024?

[JM3]

This seems like an ok place for this conversation...

So what do they need? Two SP, a 2B, and a DH/1B/OF?

DH? This may be the first post over the multiple threads concerning the team's upcoming season that has questioned the need for a DH. I do see that you include DH as a slash, but still that slot can be filled on a rotational basis throughout the roster.

Probably an up grade at catcher too. Sox need starters to go deeper, plain and simple. So tired of guys not getting through 5 innings. Bullpen worn down due to that. Spend the money, Sox have it and make it.

Well, they need another bat who can backup 1b, and ideally play some OF. Presumably, this person would DH a fair amount too. The article posted today referenced Duvall as a possibility, I guess Turner could be as well.

Need is always relative. There's definitely room for upgrades. Current depth chart if they started the season today would probably be like...

C Wong/McGuire
1B Casas/Dalbec
2B Reyes/Valdez/Rafaela
SS Story/Rafaela/Reyes
3B Devers/Reyes/Dalbec
OF Yoshida/Duran/O'Neill/Abreu/Refsnyder/Rafaela/Dalbec

Which is 1 too many bench guys. As currently situated, 1 of Valdez or Rafaela could start the season in AAA. Obviously not having Dalbec near our team would be my preference.

SP Bello
SP Sale
SP Crawford
SP Houck
SP Pivetta

CL Jansen
RP Martin
RP Whitlock
RP Winckowski
RP Schreiber
RP Bernardino (L)

Then 2 spots for some combo of Campbell/Weissert/Mata/Jacques/Llovera/Weiss/Slaten (R5)/Kelly/Murphy/Walter.

Slaten has to be in MLB or returned & Mata & Llovera are out of options. The rest of the guys can be shuttled.

2 starters seems right. Bullpen should have plenty of interesting pieces, especially if you add 2 of our starters to the group. Seems like too much depth & at that point I think you trade Pivetta if you haven't traded someone else for upgrades elsewhere, but getting the 2 starters quickly would be ideal regardless.

Yeah, on second thought the team seems committed ATM to Yoshida being the regular LF so there may be regular DH ABs available.

Justin Turner or Rhys Hoskins seem like the obvious moves in that scenario.

Any thoughts on Jung Hoo Lee’s price? I’m intrigued by the possibility of signing him and then using Duran as part of a deal for a SP. This would also allow for Rafaela to be used in a deal or get more seasoning in AAA. But it seems like most expect him to sign on the West Coast with teams like SD due to their Korean connections.

As an offending party, i'm going to suggest that we should probably let this thread return to pitching discussion.

 

[JM3]

MLBTR has Jung Hoo Lee at 5/$50m.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/jung-hoo-lee-to-be-posted-today.html

Doesn't really profile to me as someone you can assume will be a good player right away & seems more like a mid-market type guy. But who knows?

 

[moondog80]

MLBTR has Jung Hoo Lee at 5/$50m.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/12/jung-hoo-lee-to-be-posted-today.html

Doesn't really profile to me as someone you can assume will be a good player right away & seems more like a mid-market type guy. But who knows?

I've seen mixed reports on his ability to handle CF. If he can handle and reaches hit FG projection of 282/342/412, that's a massive bargain.

 

[YTF]

@JM3 I'd like your opinion on something I've openly wondered about here previously. What's your take on Jon Berti as a low cost, Swiss army knife whose presence might help fill the ? at 2B, extend the bench by way of his flexibility, is RH, seems to be a decent hitter and can swipe a base. He's slated to make $3.6M in '24 and enters his final arb. year in '25. Does he make any sense for Boston" I know there is no shortage of MI options in the organization, but Berti looks to be a guy that can be much more than that and looking at the bigger picture, his presence for the next season or 2 might make another chip expendable. Your thoughts on the idea and what might seem a reasonable trade offer to get him?

 

[JM3]

@JM3 I'd like your opinion on something I've openly wondered about here previously. What's your take on Jon Berti as a low cost, Swiss army knife whose presence might help fill the ? at 2B, extend the bench by way of his flexibility, is RH, seems to be a decent hitter and can swipe a base. He's slated to make $3.6M in '24 and enters his final arb. year in '25. Does he make any sense for Boston" I know there is no shortage of MI options in the organization, but Berti looks to be a guy that can be much more than that and looking at the bigger picture, his presence for the next season or 2 might make another chip expendable. Your thoughts on the idea and what might seem a reasonable trade offer to get him?

Not sure I'm qualified to give a particularly informed opinion on Jon Berti. He's been solid the last 2 years & I like that he hit lefties well & hit well on the road last year.

I don't love the idea of acquiring a 34 y/o whose primary value is range/speed related & whose steals dropped from 41 (5 cs) to 16 (6 cs), despite 20 more PAs. All the blue on his Statcast, including 2nd percentile exit velocity is also concerning as it doesn't seem to be a profile that will age great.... but he was still in the 95th percentile in sprint speed so I have no f clue.

Defensively he seems limited by a 20th percentile arm, but has very good range (89th percentile) & seems to have good hands, allowing him to primilarily play SS for the 1st time in his career last year & play it positively (2 OAA).

So... yeah... very confusing profile. He seems like the type of guy the Marlins (Rays south) would want to keep at least until the deadline & then trade due to the value he adds to them for cheap.

BTV has him being worth 4.7 which seems a touch low, but I'm not sure that I would want to give up anything I value for faster Pablo Reyes. Feels like the marginal upgrade wouldn't be worth the price & I'd rather aim bigger.

 

[YTF]

Not sure I'm qualified to give a particularly informed opinion on Jon Berti. He's been solid the last 2 years & I like that he hit lefties well & hit well on the road last year.

I don't love the idea of acquiring a 34 y/o whose primary value is range/speed related & whose steals dropped from 41 (5 cs) to 16 (6 cs), despite 20 more PAs. All the blue on his Statcast, including 2nd percentile exit velocity is also concerning as it doesn't seem to be a profile that will age great.... but he was still in the 95th percentile in sprint speed so I have no f clue.

Defensively he seems limited by a 20th percentile arm, but has very good range (89th percentile) & seems to have good hands, allowing him to primilarily play SS for the 1st time in his career last year & play it positively (2 OAA).

So... yeah... very confusing profile. He seems like the type of guy the Marlins (Rays south) would want to keep at least until the deadline & then trade due to the value he adds to them for cheap.

BTV has him being worth 4.7 which seems a touch low, but I'm not sure that I would want to give up anything I value for faster Pablo Reyes. Feels like the marginal upgrade wouldn't be worth the price & I'd rather aim bigger.

Thanks for your opinion, I really appreciate the time and effort.

 

[JM3]

Thanks for your opinion, I really appreciate the time and effort.

My pleasure. I'm probably less likely to get yelled at for posting too much when I'm directly responding to questions posed to me lol