The Tuesday, December 1, 2020

* The Boston Globe

MLB Draft League launching wooden-bat league for top draft prospects

Matthew Doherty

Major League is launching a wooden-bat league for top prospects who are eligible for the MLB Draft, it announced Monday.

The MLB Draft League, which will be operated by the scouting service Prep Baseball Report, has five member teams and is discussing adding a sixth team in the coming weeks. Teams will play a 68-game regular season from late May to mid-August, split into two parts.

The first half of the season will showcase the draft-eligible high school, college, and junior college players. After an All-Star break centered around the MLB Draft (July 11-13), teams will restock their rosters with the top undrafted players for the second half of the season.

Paul Toboni, the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Red Sox, said he’s unsure whether top prospects will choose to play in the MLB Draft League. The pandemic’s effect on the spring season will also play a factor, according to Toboni.

“I think it’s too early to tell,” said Toboni. “It’s tough to predict the caliber of prospect that will choose to play in this league. And I’m stating the obvious here, but how the pandemic affects spring seasons will ultimately have an impact on prospects’ willingness to play as well.”

The college baseball regular season ends in mid-May and the College World Series is scheduled from June 19 - June 30 this season.

The five founding members of the MLB Draft League are the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (Ohio), (), Williamsport Crosscutters (Pennsylvania), (New Jersey), and West Virginia Black Bears. Each of those communities lost a franchise when MLB reduced minor league affiliates from 160 to 120 this offseason.

The announcement comes after the — formerly a rookie level league — was reconfigured into a collegiate summer league for rising freshmen and sophomores.

Morgan Sword, MLB’s Executive Vice President, Baseball Economics & Operations, said Monday the MLB Draft League will attract the nation’s top eligible draft players.

“We are thrilled to partner with Prep Baseball Report and the founding members of the MLB Draft League to create a one-of-a-kind league that will attract the nation’s top players who are eligible for each year’s MLB Draft and allow local fans to see top prospects and future big-league stars in their hometowns,” Sword said.

“This announcement continues MLB’s commitment to preserving and growing baseball in communities around the United States.”

* MassLive.com

Boston Red Sox non-tender deadline: MLB free agent market will expand at 8 p.m. Wednesday; Chaim Bloom has contract decisions

Christopher Smith

The deadline for MLB teams to tender 2021 contracts to their arbitration-eligible and pre-arbitration players is Wednesday at 8 p.m., eastern. Any player who is not tendered a contract will become a free agent.

Teams are on tighter budgets this offseason after experiencing significant revenue losses in 2020 because of COVID-19. More players than normal, therefore, might be non-tendered across the league.

MLB.com listed one player from each team who might be non-tendered. Eddie Rosario — who belted 32 homers in 2019 and received MVP votes in 2019 and 2020 — was the player it listed from the Twins. Rays Ji-Man Choi (.820 OPS the past three years with Tampa) also was listed as a potential non-tender candidate.

Not only will the free agent market expand at 8 p.m. Wednesday, but the number of quality players available also should increase significantly.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom will have more pitching and outfield options as he tries to retool his 40-man roster. Activity league-wide should increase when the full free agent market is set.

Bloom also needs to make his own decisions on players. He has six arbitration-eligible players — , Eduardo Rodriguez, , , and Austin Brice — on his 40- man roster.

Devers and Rodriguez obviously are locks to be tendered contracts.

Barnes, Brasier and Plawecki most likely will be tendered contracts, but they shouldn’t be considered locks.

MLB.com listed Brasier as Boston’s potential non-tender candidate. But Brasier’s velocity returned in mid-August and he posted 1.89 ERA while holding the opposition to a .192 average in his final 18 relief outings (19 ) of 2020.

Alex Cora also specifically mentioned Brasier when asked about the pitching staff while meeting with beat reporters after Boston re-introduced him as .

“You see Brasier throwing the ball like the way he did in ’18,” Cora said.

MLBTradeRumors.com projected Brasier to earn in the range of $1 million-$1.6 million in salary arbitration. It projected Barnes to earn $3.7 million-$5.7 million. MLBTradeRumors.com listed three different salary projections for each arbitration-eligible player based on different formulas that could be used to decide contracts following the shortened 2020 season.

Are Brasier and Barnes worth those salaries? That’s the question chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom must ask before deciding whether or not to tender them contracts. During a normal offseason, it seems like it would be a no-brainer.

Bloom also obviously needs to consider how tendering/non-tendering them affects the bullpen. The Red Sox finished 27th in the majors in reliever ERA (5.79), 28th in reliever WHIP (1.64) and 28th in reliever batting average against (.282). Parting with two of Boston’s best late-game relievers before knowing their replacements doesn’t exactly improve the roster.

Barnes also is the lead candidate on the current roster to serve as in 2021. He converted 9-of-12 opportunities and posted a 3.38 ERA after taking over as closer when Boston traded to the Phillies on Aug. 21.

That said, it’s likely the Red Sox will sign or trade for a closer or a setup man with some closer experience this offseason. Alex Colomé, Liam Hendricks, Brad Hand, Blake Treinen, , and Trevor May are the top closers/setup men available on the free agent market.

Darwinzon Hernandez often is mentioned as a closer candidate. But Hernandez, as of right now, has recorded just one professional save. It came in the Arizona Fall League in 2018.

Bloom has added to the catching depth since being hired last October, acquiring both and Deivy Grullon.

But Plawecki will be inexpensive ($1-2M range) in 2021, and he enjoyed his best offensive season in 2020 (.341/.393/.463/.857, 89 plate appearances). So he almost certainly will be tendered a contract.

MLBTradeRumors.com projected Brice, meanwhile, to earn just $700,000-$900,00 in salary arbitration. The righty’s 5.95 ERA in 2020 isn’t anything to write home about but he held right-handed hitters to just a .196 batting average and is inexpensive to retain.

* The Portland Press Herald

Soon they could be headed to Hadlock Field – or

Kevin Thomas

Putting together our annual list of Top 30 Boston Red Sox prospects had its challenges this year, with no minor league season, and no input from their coaches, to gather information.

But there were clues to be found from prospects getting an invitation to the Red Sox alternate training site during the summer – the 30-player pool that served as both taxi squad and development camp – and additions to (and subtractions from) Boston’s 40-man roster.

The 2021 season is not certain because of the coronavirus pandemic, but we are assuming (hoping?) for , whether it begins in April or May.

Fifteen are on this year’s prospects list, including Bryan Mata, repeating at No. 1. The list also includes five prospects the Red Sox obtained in trades this summer.

As always, one factor in our selection process is major league readiness. Players who appear closest to reaching Boston may be ranked ahead of those with greater long-term potential. Some pitchers (Kyle Hart and Mike Shawaryn) struggled in during brief appearances in the majors, but we still see them contributing.

Pitcher Bryan Mata impressed in Portland in 2019 and is likely to earn a call up to Fenway Park next summer. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Many of the prospects on our annual lists reach Double-A Portland, and some springboard to the bigs. We anticipate Mata making his major league debut in 2021. made an impressive major league debut this summer. Can he stick?

Here’s our Top 30, including their ages and position:

1. BRYAN MATA, 21, RHP. Working at the alternate training site, Mata had his development closely monitored. In 2019 at Portland, Mata impressed with 111 in 105 innings. His stuff remains electric, anchored by a mid-to-high 90s fastball. A Triple-A rotation spot is next, with a call-up only a matter of time.

2. , 20, 3B/1B. Casas 20 home runs in his first full pro season in 2019. The Red Sox were delighted with his work in 2020 and offered him a late invite to the alternate site. Although he played only two regular-season games in advanced , Casas could be pushed to Portland to begin 2021.

3. BOBBY DALBEC, 25, 3B/1B. Dalbec made his major league debut on Aug. 30 and proceeded to play 23 games, hitting eight home runs. Critics may point to his 39 strikeouts in 80 at-bats, but Dalbec also walked 10 times for a .359 on-base percentage. Assuming 2021 will be a full season, it will be a test for the slugger.

4. , 24, RHP. Houck made his Red Sox debut two weeks after Dalbec and was just as tantalizing. In his three starts, he went 3-0 with a 0.53 ERA (21 strikeouts, nine walks in 17 innings). Boston needs starting pitching, and homegrown arms are a bonus. As with Dalbec, a full season for Houck will be telling.

5. JETER DOWNS, 22, 2B/SS. Obtained from the Dodgers in the Mookie Betts deal, Downs is a prized prospect – ranked No. 1 among Boston prospect by mlb.com. He has played only 12 games in Double-A but was a regular at the 2020 alternate site. Not yet on the 40-man roster, Boston does not need to rush Downs. He could begin 2021 in Portland.

6. JARREN DURAN, 24, OF. Duran is also not on the 40-man roster. In Portland for half of 2019, Duran had a .250 OPS. But he reportedly impressed at the alternate site this year, while showing more power. It would be a stretch to say Duran is Jackie Bradley Jr.’s replacement in 2021, but he may not be far off. Possible 2021 start in Portland.

7. GILBERTO JIMENEZ, 20, OF. Duran may be headed for the Fenway Park outfield, but Jimenez could be only a few years behind. Jimenez has generated a lot of buzz, despite not playing in 2020. Reports out of the fall instructional league were encouraging. In 2019, he batted .359 in Lowell, and will be in Class A in 2021, with Portland in his sights.

8. , 24, RHP. On Aug. 20, 2019, Hadlock Field fans watched Seabold, a Reading Fightin’ Phils right-hander, tame the Sea Dogs, allowing one over six innings with his typical control (six strikeouts/one walk). The Red Sox obtained Seabold in the Brandon Workman trade. Now on the 40- man roster, he could skip to Triple-A.

9. , 22, LHP. Has Groome finally turned the corner to a healthy season? The left-hander with loads of potential has recovered from Tommy John surgery. He looked solid at the alternate site and was put on the 40-man roster. Groome appears set for advanced Class A and could be in Portland sometime in 2021.

10. THAD WARD, 23, RHP. Ward should definitely be in Portland in the spring of 2021, after his 2019 Class A performance (2.14 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 126 innings). Ward’s best pitch is a , working off a low-90s fastball. He has added a cut fastball to the mix, which has increased his strikeouts.

11. C.J. CHATHAM, 25, SS/2B. He played outfield in high school, in college, and has lately seen time at second base. Chatham projects as who can hit (.298 career minor league average). Put on the 40-man roster last year, the clock is ticking. Chatham will begin the season in Triple-A with a call- up possible.

12. NOAH SONG, 23, RHP. The Song story remains intriguing. Some rankings list him as Boston’s second-best pitching prospect after Mata. But will the Navy let him pitch? A 2019 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Song’s request to delay active duty was denied last December. He may not be available to the Red Sox until 2022.

13. (17), 25, RHP. With a mid-90s fastball and a curve that looks major league ready, the Red Sox gambled by not putting him on the 40-man roster last year. This year, Boston took no chances and added Bazardo. He will either return to Portland’s bullpen to begin 2021 or jump to Triple-A.

14. JEISSON ROSARIO, 21, OF. The Padres signed Rosario for $1.85 million, as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic. He has not put up big numbers (.264) in the minors, but his potential remains. Boston liked him enough to obtain him in the Mitch Moreland trade and add him to the 40-man roster. He seems destined for Portland.

15. HUDSON POTTS, 22, INF. Potts was another Padres prospect – a first-round pick in 2016 – acquired in the Moreland deal and also put on the 40-man roster. Potts hit 20 home runs in Class A in 2017, but has scuffled in Double-A (.227 in 2019). With power potential, Potts should be at Hadlock this spring.

16. CONNOR WONG, 24, . Continuing the string of prospects obtained and added to the 40-man roster, Wong arrived from the Dodgers in the Betts deal. Promoted to Double-A at the end of 2019, Wong got hot (.349 with nine home runs in 40 games). He spent 2020 at the alternate site and is expected in Portland in 2021.

17. , 18, SS/2B. The mystery man may be steal of the 2020 draft. Yorke was not expected to go in the first round, but Boston surprisingly made him the 17th overall pick. The Red Sox think highly of Yorke’s approach at the plate and gave him a late invitation to the alternate site. He will be pushed to Class A. Portland in 2022?

18. DENYI REYES, 24, RHP. Reyes remains a prospect even though the Red Sox removed him from their 40-man roster last January. No team claimed Reyes, so he is likely headed back to Portland in 2021. Reyes mixes his pitches well, utilizing a deadly . He shined in spots in 2019 and needs consistency.

19. KYLE HART, 28, LHP. Last year, we called Hart’s No. 11 ranking “a stretch,” but he kept advancing and reached the majors in 2020. It did not go well for Hart in four games (three starts), allowing 24 hits and 19 earned runs in 11 innings. He was removed from the 40-man roster this month, but has shown an ability to bounce back.

20. BRAYAN BELLO, 21, RHP. Bello has the potential to be special, depending on consistency and pitch development. Pushed to lower Class A as a 19-year-old in 2019, he adjusted the final two months with 63 strikeouts/14 walks in 59 innings. Featuring a mid-90s fastball with a solid slider, Bello will be in advanced Class A in 2021, with Portland on the horizon.

21. YOAN AYBAR, 23, LHP. The Red Sox should find out what they have in Aybar in 2021. A converted outfielder in 2018, Aybar brings heat out of the bullpen with a high-90s fastball. Put on the 40-man roster last year, Aybar has not pitched above Class A. His pending performance in Portland will be telling.

22. CHASE SHUGART, 23, RHP. Where Shugart pitches in 2021 will show his track as a prospect. He shined in lower Class A in 2019 in his first full pro season (2.81 ERA) and would have been in advanced A in 2020. Showing a good command and mix, the Red Sox may push him to Portland next season.

23. NICK DECKER, 21, OF. The cancellation of the 2020 minor league season really affected prospects like Decker, a talented high school player who needs polish. A second-round pick in 2018, Decker showed promise in Lowell the next year (.328 on-base percentage) but obviously needs work. He will begin 2021 in Class A.

24. MIKE SHAWARYN, 26, RHP. In August, Shawaryn was not only removed from the 40-man roster, but also removed from the alternate site player pool. Yet, we go back to his first six major league games in 2019 (four hits, one run in 11 1/3 innings). The potential remains. Shawaryn could get taken by another team in December’s Rule 5 Draft.

25. DURBIN FELTMAN, 23, RHP. While Feltman was pushed to Portland in 2019 and did not shine (5.26 ERA), he remains a prospect who can turn things around. Fastball command, to complement his slider, is essential. Not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, Feltman appears destined to begin 2021 in Portland.

26. ALDO RAMIREZ, 19, RHP. Ramirez could be breaking out soon. Soxprospects.com reported that Ramirez was the “top ” in the fall instructional league with a three-pitch mix, including a 92-95 mph fastball. He pitched in Lowell in 2019, so Class A appears the next step in 2021.

27. BRAINER BONACI, 18, SS. The temptation is to say Bonaci is a no-brainer for the prospect list. He signed for $290,000 two years ago and has played well in the field, along with an advanced approach at the plate. With short-season leagues going away, Bonaci is likely to be pushed to Class A in 2021.

28. MATTHEW LUGO, 19, SS. It will say something of Bocani’s potential if he takes playing time away from Lugo, the second-round draft pick in 2019. Raw talent, with quickness in the field and potential at the plate, Lugo is high on several prospect lists. He figures to be in Class A in 2021.

29. JOSH OCKIMEY, 25, 1B. Ockimey is not on the 40-man roster but played at the alternate site, and was re-signed as a minor league free agent (when several others were let go). So Boston still sees something in Ockimey. He hit for power (25 home runs in Triple-A in 2019) but not average (.204).

30. MARCUS WILSON, 24, OF. It was telling that Wilson was not added to the alternate site until September, despite being on the 40-man roster. Wilson, obtained in the 2019 deal, has not batted over .235 in Double-A. But he has remained on the 40-man roster. He will likely return to Portland.

From last year’s list, one player was traded by the Red Sox – RHP Travis Lakins; one was not re-signed – LHP Daniel McGrath; and three right-handed pitchers were waived – Trevor Kelley, Matthew Gorst and Austin Maddox. Four other players were dropped from our list – LHP Bobby Poyner, RHP Alex Scherff, SS Antoni Flores and 3B Brandon Howlett.

* RedSox.com

5 best seasons by a Red Sox

Ian Browne

Given the star-studded collection of position players -- legends, really -- the Red Sox have had through the years, identifying the top five individual seasons in team history is a challenging task.

But we’ve decided to press on and do it anyway. From Ted Williams to Carl Yastrzemski to to David Ortiz to Mookie Betts, there are many summers of greatness to choose from.

Here is one person’s opinion -- mine -- of the top five. To spread it around, we didn’t include an individual player more than once.

1. Carl Yastrzemski, 1967 Key fact: His 12.5 WAR (Baseball Reference) is the best in a single season in team history

The Impossible Dream season of 1967 is the one that spawned generations of Red Sox fans. The engine behind it was Yaz, who was a one-man machine at the plate and in the field. The Hall of Fame won the Triple Crown by batting .326 with 44 homers and 121 RBIs. Miguel Cabrera (2012) is the only player who has won a Triple Crown since.

Yaz also led the in runs, hits, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and total bases. It was a tour de force of greatness in which Yaz continually came through in the clutch. With the Red Sox fighting to win the AL pennant and needing to win their final two regular-season games to do so, Yaz went 7-for-8.

2. Ted Williams, 1941 Key fact: Led the Majors in eight offensive categories

In truth, you could pick just about any season Williams had and it would be among the best in Red Sox history. But this one sticks out with Williams hitting .406. The 2021 season will mark the 80th anniversary of topping the .400 mark -- something nobody has done since. The batting average alone would have made it a season for the ages. Then add in the fact that Williams led the Majors in runs (135), homers (37), walks (147), on-base percentage (.553), slugging percentage (.735) and OPS+ (235) and it becomes clear that it was transformative.

3. Mookie Betts, 2018 Key fact: 1.078 OPS a career high

With the Red Sox setting a franchise record with 108 wins, their leadoff man was the tone setter for six months. The 10.6 WAR by Betts that season is topped only by Yaz in 1967 for best in club history. Betts achieved his greatness with a more diverse set of skills than any player the Red Sox have ever had. He did it with elite bat control and power, blazing speed, superior range and a cannon arm in right field.

Betts won the batting title with a .346 average and also led the Majors with 129 runs and a .640 slugging percentage. In the leadoff spot for 131 games, Betts smashed 32 homers and had 80 RBIs. He also stole 30 bases, giving the Red Sox their second 30-30 man in team history; the first was in 2011.

4. Jim Rice, 1978 Key fact: 406 total bases still a team record

Before getting to the numbers, it should be noted that Rice went to the post every single day. Yes, he played all 163 games, culminating with that heartbreaking loss to the Yankees in the one-game playoff. Rice also led the Majors in at-bats (677), hits (213), triples (15), homers (46), RBIs (139) and slugging percentage (.600) while hitting .315. His .970 OPS was tops in the AL. Perhaps the most striking stat of all? The 406 total bases. With brute strength and lightning-quick wrists, Rice hit the ball deep to all fields.

5. David Ortiz, 2007 Key fact: His OBP of .445 is second best in a single season in 21st century for Boston

Given how many elite seasons that Ortiz had for the Red Sox, it’s hard to pick the best one. Why did we go with 2007? Probably because Ortiz hit for his usual production while adding a career-high .332 average. Impressive, when you consider Ortiz played that season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Pitchers were careful with Ortiz in ’07, but he resisted the temptation to expand the strike zone, leading the AL with 111 walks and a .445 on-base percentage. The centerpiece of a championship team, Ortiz ripped a career- high 52 doubles while adding 35 homers, 117 RBIs, 116 runs and a 1.066 OPS.

Honorable mentions Williams got to the World Series for the only time in his career in 1946 on the strength of a .342/.497/.667 line with 38 homers and 123 RBIs. … Always a batting-average machine, Wade Boggs added power to his game in 1987, ripping 24 homers while hitting .363 with 108 runs, 200 hits and 40 doubles. … If Fred Lynn is most remembered for his 1975 season, his best year was ’79, when his slash line stats (.333/.423/.637) were all league leading to go with career highs in homers (39) and RBIs (122). … ’s prime was special, and he was at his best in 2000, hitting .372 with 197 hits, 51 doubles, 21 homers and a career-best OPS+ of 156.

* WEEI.com

What signing means to the Red Sox

Rob Bradford

So, this is what we have so far when it comes to the Red Sox and their search for starting pitching ...

- They decided it wasn't worth paying Martin Perez just more than $6 million for 2021 despite a fairly solid 2020.

- Potential high-end free agent options Kevin Gausman and came off the board after accepting qualifying offers.

- Charlie Morton (one-year, $15 million) and (one-year $8 million) were signed by the Braves and Blue Jays, respectively. Drew Smyly (one-year, $11 million) also agreed to terms with Atlanta.

- Some of the free agents they have been linked to include J.A. Happ (projected at one-year, $6 million by MLB Trade Rumors) and Matt Shoemaker.

- In an interview with OMF, Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said he wouldn't hesitate trying to strike a deal with a division rival like the Rays, and believed sentiment was shared by Tampa Bay. Cue the Blake Snell conversation.

Now we have Mike Minor going to the Royals.

The deal is for two years at what one source described at around "eight or nine million" a year. (It is interesting to note that MLBTR's projection for the almost-33-year-old Minor is the same as Happ.)

So, where does that leave the Red Sox it is a they want to spend their money on.

If they believe Trevor Bauer is their next -- the anchor of the rotation you're willing to commit payroll-changing years and money to -- then he is an option. But the Red Sox' willingness to stiff-arm their economic challenges, accept the absence of a draft pick and go all-in Dombrowski-style is a mystery.

The more likely scenario was a guy like Minor, who is a guy like Perez, who is a guy like Happ, who is a guy like Jon Lester, who is a guy like Corey Kluber, who is a guy like Cole Hamels. You get the picture. There are a lot of options left on short years and relatively short money.

There are next-level options that are going to cost more years and more money, such as Masahiro Tanaka and Jake Odorizzi, and then another level -- Jose Quintana, , Taijaun Walker and James Paxton.

The point is that when it comes to the kind of starter the Red Sox are looking for -- assuming they are willing to count on the return of Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale, along with more consistency from -- there are plenty of options that will cost relatively the same.

So we wait and watch with the understanding that the only thing we are sure of is that there will be options for a while.

Welcome to the 2020-21 MLB offseason, potentially the most unpredictable of them all.

* NBC Sports Boston

Can Pivetta provide a shot in the arm to Boston's rotation?

John Tomase

*Throughout this month, we'll put a member of the 2020 Red Sox and one of their most notable statistics under the microscope while assessing their season and what lies ahead. Today's installment: .

10.3 In today's launch-angle-obsessed game, every pitcher is a pitcher. Hall of Famer Walter Johnson needed nearly 6,000 innings to record his 3,500 strikeouts. Rapid Robert Feller reached Cooperstown on the strength of baseball's best fastball, but he barely struck out six batters per nine during his career. Not even whiffed a batter an lifetime.

All of this is a way of saying that the game has changed, and that Nick Pivetta's 2018 strikeout ratio with the Phillies should be viewed in its proper context. Whereas once striking out over 10 per nine would've been the domain of Nolan Ryan, , and Pedro Martinez, it's now a far more attainable number.

That doesn't mean we should dismiss Pivetta's best full season with the Phillies, however. His rate actually ranked fifth among NL starters that season, suggesting an ability to overpower hitters that made him an attractive trade target of the Red Sox before they snagged him for closer Brandon Workman this season.

What went right for Pivetta in 2020 Pivetta didn't join the Red Sox right away, reporting instead to the team's alternate site, where the player development staff could properly evaluate the 27-year-old and allow him to build arm strength.

He arrived with a legitimate arsenal, but disappointing results. The Phillies believed he would ultimately end up in the bullpen. The Red Sox wanted a crack at his mid-90s fastball and hammer curve and believed he could still make it as a starter.

He arrived for the final week of the season and made two starts, going 2-0 with 1.80 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10 innings, making a positive first impression.

What went wrong for Pivetta in 2020 Pivetta wouldn't have even been available if he had pitched to his potential with the Phillies, who tinkered extensively with his delivery and pitch mix over the years. Pivetta allowed 10 hits and three home runs in three relief appearances before being demoted.

Had the Red Sox not acquired him, he almost certainly wouldn't have thrown another pitch in the big leagues in 2020. His lifetime ERA of 5.40 speaks to the inconsistency that has plagued his career.

Nick of Time? Nick Pivetta's ERA in 3 games with the Phillies in 2020. 15.88 Nick Pivetta's ERA in 2 games with the Red Sox in 2020. 1.80

Early outlook for 2021 The Red Sox will give Pivetta a chance not only to secure a spot in their rotation, but also to become a long-term piece of the future. By not promoting him until late September, they denied him a year of service time, which means he won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2023 season.

Pivetta sounded OK with it, since he understands that free agency and service time are only issues if you're good enough to stick. For now, his focus will be on harnessing his impressive stuff and maintaining consistency as a starter.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

The offseason is well underway, but status of DH rule for 2021 still undecided

Sean McAdam

It’s nearly December, which means that, for now, is just over two months away and Opening Day is a mere four months in the distance.

Thanks to the pandemic, there will be no Winter Meetings this season, at least not in the traditional sense. Executives will still meet with their colleagues from other teams and with agents, but it will all be done virtually.

Given that the industry is about to enter its most important month of the offseason, with trades and free- agent signings bound to take place, it sure would be nice if the people putting together the rosters knew what the rules were going to be for the upcoming season.

For now, they’re merely making educated guesses. And that feels both unnecessary and unfair.

A year ago, introduced the into National League regular-season games for the first time. Adopted by the American League in 1973 to boost offense, the N.L. never followed suit. The only games involving N.L. teams which included the DH were 1) interleague games in A.L. ballparks and 2) World Series games in A.L. ballparks.

Last year, in recognition that players had been off for several months before re-assembling for a condensed second spring training, MLB instituted the DH for both leagues. MLB correctly came to the conclusion that the last thing it needed was pitchers coming up lame from pulled hamstring while futilely running the bases.

The DH came for a while and stayed. And somehow, neither the game nor the republic crumbled.

But the DH’s appearance in the National League might be a one-year cameo. Or it could be here to stay. Or it could disappear in 2021 and make a more permanent appearance in 2022 and every season thereafter.

It’s all very unsettled. It’s also highly embarrassing.

As general managers try to assemble rosters, half don’t know whether their pitchers will hit or whether the DH will return.

Here’s the issue: implementing the DH was a collectively bargained issue between owners and the Players Association, with the DH voted in for the 2020 season. But the current collective bargaining agreement is up after 2021 and while the Players Association wishes to have the DH a more permanent fixture for all 30 teams — it means more jobs for productive aging sluggers — owners aren’t about to agree to that a year before the current CBA expires without getting something in return.

And because owners and the Players Association have shown themselves incapable of playing nice or agreeing on anything in a timely manner, the issue remains unresolved.

Talks are said to be ongoing, but as usual, there’s a general lack of urgency surrounding the matter. It will get done, the two sides suggest….eventually.

In the meantime, free agents are in limbo. Nelson Cruz is perhaps the game’s most productive and consistent DH. In the six full seasons previous to the shortened 2020 year, Cruz averaged just over 40 homers per seasons. But at 40 years of age, he’s incapable of playing in the field with any regularity. So it’s DH or bust for Cruz.

For now, Cruz has a universe of 15 teams that could be interested in him. If the DH gets voted back into the N.L. for 2021, that number could double. Until then, Cruz is in baseball limbo, waiting to see what the rules are going to be before he chooses where he’ll play — and for how much.

Or, take the Red Sox. It might be in their best interest to move on from J.D. Martinez, who has two years and about $38.75 million remaining over the next two seasons. Martinez is coming off his worst season in a long-time and if the Red Sox want to move him, they’ll have to be willing to shallow a good chunk of that remaining salary.

A deal would be far easier to pull off if the Sox knew that N.L. teams would be in the market for DH help. Otherwise, the Red Sox’ trading partners would be limited to A.L. teams only.

Some other rules introduced in 2020 — placing a runner at second base in extra innings; ensuring relievers face a minimum of three batters unless they complete an inning beforehand — may or may not return. But that lack of clarity isn’t playing a role in team-building. No roster construction is dependent on either rule.

That’s not the case with the DH. The lack of certainty is stalling free agency, blocking potential trades and leaving players, agents and executives in suspended animation.

Are the sport’s movers and shakers so occupied that they can’t find a day or two to sit down and come to an agreement — one way or another — in the coming days?

This should have been a priority weeks ago, with the union and MLB attaching some importance to its resolution. Instead, we wait….and baseball makes it up it goes along.

* The Athletic

Red Sox bringing Matt Barnes back would usually be an easy call. Not so now

Chad Jennings

In the past three years, Matt Barnes has more strikeouts than any major league reliever except and Edwin Diaz. He was, in 2018 and 2019, a top 20 reliever according to FanGraphs WAR. He is imperfect, of course — a lot of walks, rarely trusted with opportunities to close, he underperformed this past season — but in a pool of notoriously flawed pitchers, Barnes has been a durable and occasionally dominant reliever. He’s a homegrown success story for the Red Sox.

And they have to at least consider letting him go on Wednesday.

This offseason already has seen drastic cost-cutting measures, and baseball’s annual non-tender deadline is the next benchmark to gauge market prices and each team’s willingness to spend. Typically, the non-tender deadline — when players who are eligible for arbitration are offered new deals or cut loose as free agents — proves important, but without much juice. Just look at the list of non-tenders from last year: Kevin Gausman and Blake Treinen, coming off underwhelming seasons, plus a bunch of placeholders and role players. The big Red Sox non-tender move a year ago was trading Sandy Leon so that they wouldn’t lose him for nothing.

But the market is different now. Teams meticulously search for efficiency, and with revenue having dried up during the pandemic – and lingering uncertainty about the finances of next year – teams clearly are making relatively drastic financial decisions. Wednesday’s deadline is another opportunity to follow that cheap model.

Among the players floated as non-tender candidates this winter are Kris Bryant, Gary Sanchez, Tommy Pham, Kyle Schwarber and Jon Gray — relatively big names, some of them in huge markets. They’re going to be fairly expensive through arbitration, but are they worth cutting loose rather than bringing back on a one-year deal? That the industry is even discussing the possibility speaks to the state of the offseason economy.

The Cardinals balked at ’s $12.5 million option. The Indians declined Brad Hand’s $10 million option. The Red Sox refused Martín Pérez’s $6.85 million option. And the Rays bailed on ahead of an expected $4 million payday. So all other cost-saving measures seem on the table. Those teams that tender contracts to expensive arbitration-eligible players will signal a willingness to spend despite these financial difficulties. Those who do not will bet on a bear market, or else signal an inability to spend regardless.

And so, the biggest Red Sox decision is Barnes.

He turns 31 in June, and though his walk-rate has increased over four straight seasons, his strikeout rate was also growing significantly before a downturn this summer (even then he was better than most at 12.1 K/9).

In his final year of arbitration, Barnes is projected to earn roughly $4-5 million. That’s certainly not cheap, but it’s worth considering the going rate for late-inning relievers. , at 37 years old, got $5 million last winter. Steve Cishek, at 34 and with his own walk issues, got $6 million. Joe Smith, the Astros sidearmer, got two years and $8 million. In that context, Barnes’ final arbitration raise would seem worthwhile, especially for a player who, at the very least, could be trade fodder next summer.

Then again, Pérez at just under $7 million would have been worthwhile most winters, especially with the Red Sox plainly in need of pitching. The Red Sox let him go, believing his market value is actually lower, and they might feel the same about Barnes, especially given the depth of relief pitching on the market.

But he’s not the only non-tender decision they have to make.

Rafael Devers and Eduardo Rodriguez are arbitration-eligible this offseason — Devers for the first time, Rodriguez for the last time —but those two are far too significant to think non-tender is a realistic option. If it happens with either one, it will be shocking on a whole other level.

Already, the Red Sox have cut loose a bunch of their arbitration-eligible players — José Peraza, Zack Godley, Andrew Triggs — and they’ve re-signed another, Ryan Weber, to a split contract that will pay him $800,000 if he’s called up next year. They still face decisions on these three:

• Kevin Plawecki, C (projected salary: roughly $1.5 million): The team’s backup catcher had a strong season, but an arbitration raise might be more than the Red Sox want to pay. Plawecki previously was non- tendered by the Indians last winter, and the Red Sox now have bat-first catcher Deivy Grullon as an internal candidate for the backup job.

• Ryan Brasier, RP (projected salary: $1 million): He had a good year, and the fact mentioned Brasier by name during his introductory press conference couldn’t hurt. But, again, it’s about cost efficiency. Is Brasier, at 33 years old, worth $1 million and possibly a little more?

• Austin Brice, RP (projected salary: $900,000): He’s not projected to earn much more than the league minimum, but he also had a 5.95 ERA last season. The Red Sox seem to like him, but Brice is out of options, meaning he doesn’t give them much flexibility. The Red Sox could tender a contract, then release Brice in spring training if he doesn’t look good enough to make the team (they would pay only a small fraction of the money under those circumstances).

Then there’s Barnes, the biggest name of the bunch, and the most interesting decision the Red Sox face ahead of Wednesday’s deadline. Tendering a contract would suggest the Red Sox are not opposed to spending short-term money, and that they are not strictly riding out the market in search of bargains. A non-tender, on the other hand, would be another indication that cost efficiency is a priority, and that this free agent market could be a tough place for those good-but-not-quite-great players like Barnes.

Red Sox free-agency and offseason tracker: Latest news and analysis

Chad Jennings and Jen McCaffrey

This Red Sox offseason isn’t unfolding too quickly so far, but there is significant change occurring across the roster nonetheless. To keep track of it all, The Athletic has created this page as a warehouse of the latest news and analysis following the decisions of chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, new manager Alex Cora and their team. We’ll be updating as news occurs throughout the winter:

Nov. 27 — State of the minors report Since the minor league season was wiped out by the pandemic, the fall instructional league the Red Sox held gave the team its first good chance this year to evaluate where some of its top prospects sit. Sox vice president of player development Ben Crockett walked The Athletic through some of their reports on talent like Triston Casas, Durbin Feltman and Eduard Bazardo — a surprise addition to the 40-man roster — after the camp.

Nov. 25 – Joel Payamps claimed off waivers The Sox claimed hard-throwing Payamps off waivers three days after he was designated for assignment as part of the Diamondbacks’ Rule 5 protections. To make room for Payamps, the Sox designated another hard-throwing reliever, , for assignment. The Red Sox also announced that both Weber and Hall had cleared waivers and accepted outright assignments to Triple-A, meaning they would stay with the organization as minor league depth.

Nov. 20 – Seven players protected from Rule 5 draft At the deadline to add Rule 5-eligible players to the 40-man roster, the Red Sox chose to protect seven: RHP Bryan Mata, RHP Connor Seabold, LHP Jay Groome, RHP Eduard Bazardo, C Connor Wong, 3B Hudson Potts and CF Jeisson Rosario. To open spots on the 40-man roster, the team outrighted Kyle Hart to Triple-A and designated both Ryan Weber and for assignment. Those three had started 15 percent of their games this season, and both Weber and Hall had been in their Opening Day rotation. That they were so easily cut loose was further evident of the Red Sox rotation troubles this past season.

Nov. 20 – officially added to coaching staff Outside of adding as bench , the rest of Cora’s staff came with few changes outside of title adjustments for quality control coach Ramon Vazquez and bullpen coach . The biggest change was the official inclusion of Varitek as game-planning coordinator, a new role that will have the former Red Sox still working with the team’s but also directing strategy with the pitching staff.

Nov. 17 – Will Venable hired as bench coach Although the hire wouldn’t be official for a few more days, the Red Sox settled on the Cubs third-base coach as their new bench coach. Venable, 38, had impressed the Red Sox during his managerial interview. He’d played nine seasons as a big league outfielder, spent one year in the Cubs front office, and three as one of their major league coaches.

Nov. 17 – OF Michael Gettys comes on board Once a legitimate prospect with great power and a good glove, the 25-year-old Gettys has been stalled by enormous strikeout totals. He hit 31 home runs in Triple-A in 2019, but those homers came with 168 strikeouts. He’ll be another bit of upper-level outfield depth.

Nov. 12 – Kevin McCarthy joins pitching lineup With 169 games of big-league experience, all with the Royals in the past five years, McCarthy agreed to a minor league deal with the Red Sox. The 28-year-old became an early addition to the team’s pitching depth.

Nov. 11: ‘I don’t like ruling us out on anybody’ Bloom, a day after introducing Cora as the new manager, discussed his team’s rebuilding efforts and said he intends to cast a wide net this offseason.

Jen McCaffrey: Roughly $40 million under the luxury tax threshold entering next season, the Red Sox will have to spend their money wisely with so many holes to plug in the rotation, bullpen and outfield. Nov. 10: Alex Cora apology tour begins Ten months after he left the Red Sox in shame, Cora re-emerged as their manager again speaking publicly from home plate at Fenway Park. “If I fail at this, I’m out of the game,” a contrite Cora said.

Jen McCaffrey: This is far from the team he last managed in 2019, and he’ll be judged on how quickly he adjusts to the new complexion of his old team. There’s a lot of work to be done. Chad Jennings: Even in separation, the Red Sox and Cora were never particularly far apart, and a reunion was always the easiest, shortest, most obvious path forward. Steve Buckley: It’s great that Alex Cora, as he begins his second tenure as manager of the Red Sox, listens to the analytics people. But the analytics people need to listen to him.

Nov. 6 – Alex Cora re-hired as manager The only people surprised by the decision might have been the Red Sox executives themselves, but once Bloom came around to the idea of Cora returning as manager, the reunion was set in motion. Less than a year after he was let go due to his connection to the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal – and despite his own connection to the 2018 Red Sox illegal sign-stealing – Cora was back, vowing to learn from his past decisions and earn the Red Sox trust.

Nov. 2 – Red Sox bring back nine minor leaguers As minor league players became free agents, the Red Sox agreed to deals to keep nine of their own: RHP Seth Blair, RHP Caleb Simpson. RHP Raynel Espinal, LHP Stephen Gonsalves, C Jhonny Pereda, 1B Josh Ockimey, OF Johan Mieses, and 1B/OF Joey Meneses and were all re-signed. Blair, Gonsalves, Simpson, Pereda and Ockimey had been in the 60-man player pool during the season.

Nov. 1 – Martín Pérez’s option declined; J.D. Martinez’s decides to stay Pérez was coming off a good year, and in a normal winter, his team option for just over $6 million might have been easily exercised. But in this economic climate, the Red Sox declined and lost Pérez to free agency, believing his market value to be even lower. Little surprise, then, that Martinez elected not to opt out of his contract. After a disappointing season, he decided to return for a guaranteed $19.375 million.

Chad Jennings: Coming off a brutal season as a 33-year-old, combined with this financial climate, left Martinez little reason to hope for more in free agency. Could it be that no free agent will match that annual salary this winter?

Oct. 28 – Jackie Bradley Jr, José Peraza and Rusney Castillo become free agents One day after the World Series, Bradley, Castillo and Collin McHugh automatically hit the open market as their contracts expired. (For Castillo, it came after spending the past four seasons in the minor leagues making big-league money.) The Red Sox further trimmed their roster by outrighting Peraza, Cesar Puello and Dylan Covey (those three would also become free agents). The moves opened roster spots for Dustin Pedroia, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale, , Colten Brewer and Kyle Hart to be activated from the , a necessary formality since the injured list does not exist in the offseason.

Oct. 26 – Five players cut Continuing to clear out their 40-man roster, the Red Sox outrighted five players to the minor leagues and ultimately into free agency. Most notable was light-hitting utility man Tzu-Wei Lin, but the Red Sox also cut depth pitchers Zack Godley, Mike Kickham, Andrew Triggs and Robinson Leyer.

Oct. 23 – Domingo Tapia claimed off waivers The Red Sox began clearing their overcrowded 40-man roster by putting hard-throwing Tapia on waivers, only to lose him to the Mariners. At 29 years old, Tapia made his big league debut this summer, pitching five times and striking out four. He’d been signed as a minor league free agent.

Oct. 12 – Two coaches cut loose After severing ties with their manager, the Red Sox elected to bring back most of their coaching staff. The only exceptions were bench coach Jerry Narron (an old friend of Roenicke hired specifically to be the manager’s right-hand man in February) and bullpen coach (who’d served with Alex Cora in Houston and spent the past three years with the Red Sox). Bjornson, ultimately, would not be replaced. The Red Sox simply assigned their assistant pitching coach to the bullpen role.

Sept. 27 – Ron Roenicke let go The Red Sox got an early start to the offseason when they announced before their final game that Roenicke would not be back as manager. The team praised his calm and stability – two things the Red Sox badly needed during a tumultuous year – but clearly wanted to move forward with a more modern approach. “He did a tremendous job under really challenging, basically unprecedented, circumstances,” Bloom said.