The Boston Red Sox apparently haven’t made up their minds regarding extending the qualifying offer to potential free agent reliever Koji Uehara.
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Uehara was among the game’s best relievers in 2013, but a poor finish to the 2014 and an anticipated $15.1 million-dollar, one-year salary of the qualifying offer might cause Boston to look elsewhere, or even attempt to negotiate with Uehara on the open market.
Uehara will turn 40 at the beginning of the 2015 season, but was still a valuable reliever in 2014, worth 1.4 Wins Above Replacement, per Fangraphs. Unfortunately, it’s almost two wins worse than Uehara’s 2013 WAR, but closer in line to how he’s produced in his six Major League seasons. In 64 appearances this season, Uehara had 26 saves and a 2.52 ERA in 64.1 innings pitched. But Uehara did blow five saves, and his 10 home runs allowed aren’t ideal from a relief pitcher.
Still, relievers are always risky gambles in free agency, and spending $15.1-million on one reliever might be a bit too much for the Red Sox to swallow, even if ownership does intend to spend this winter to improve the team. Boston might prefer to try to bring back Uehara at a cheaper base salary than the qualifying offer, or explore other options at closer.
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