BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 2: Manager Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox speaks to the media during an end of season press conference on October 2, 2023 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
The Boston Red Sox may not be done with their liquidation.
Over the weekend, Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com responded to a fan’s post on X concerning recent rumors that the organization would deal veteran reliever Kenley Jansen.
“I believe it’s less suggestion and more… “They’re going to move him,” Cotillo stated emphatically.
Cotillo then explained in a subsequent post that he believes a Jansen deal is “increasingly likely,” but that “nothing definitive” has been announced.
Jansen, 36, was outstanding in his debut season for the Red Sox in 2023. As the team’s full-time closer, he went 29 for 33 with a 3.63 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Jansen’s efforts earned him his fourth All-Star selection (despite struggles in non-save circumstances and being frequently unavailable to throw in back-to-back games).
Having said that, Red Sox management has made it clear that they intend to conserve money this offseason and stay well below the luxury-tax threshold. They recently eliminated a large amount of payroll by moving away a seven-time All-Star pitcher. With Jansen owed $16 million next season, Boston might choose for a younger (but less experienced) ninth-inning option like Josh Winckowski, Garrett Whitlock, or Tanckowski instead.
