3 Black Friday free-agent bargains the Red Sox can sign with Juan Soto's money

The vibes are dangerously high around the Boston Red Sox. After another disappointing campaign spent outside the postseason thicket, Boston is apparently ready to buck recent trends and spend big in free agency — seeking not one, but several All-Stars, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

So, there is fire to this smoke. The Red Sox are even gaining steam in the Juan Soto pursuit, although that could end up as a classic Scott Boras leverage play, rather than a serious pivot from the four-time All-Star.

Boston sticking in the Soto race this long is encouraging, and it's clear several viable backup plans will remain on the marketplace when Soto does eventually sign. Odds are he will be the first major domino to fall this winter, aside from Blake Snell. If Soto sticks in NYC, the Red Sox, in theory, will have a bunch of money stored up and a pressing need to spend it.

The holes are plentiful on this roster, but expect Craig Breslow to focus on adding right-handed power and bolstering the pitching staff. Here are a few potential Juan Soto alternatives who might all fit within the same budget.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB offseason.

3. Roki Sasaki would bring immense upside to the Red Sox rotation

After Juan Soto, there's a case to be made that Roki Sasaki is the next most valuable free agent, precisely because of how affordable his first MLB contract will be. The 23-year-old fireballer from Japan will be treated as an international prospect, which puts a strict cap on his salary these next few years. Sasaki should command a significant contract extension eventually, but the team that first signs him will need to build its free agency case on winning and player development — not cold, hard cash. The financial playing field is even.

The Red Sox have experience transitioning successful players from Japan to the MLB (see: Masataka Yoshida) and their pitching program is well-regarded, which could boost Boston's standing in a hotly contested free agency race. Moreover, if the Red Sox are truly committed to spending, Sasaki should feel good about his potential to compete for one of baseball's most storied franchises, home to countless all-time great pitchers he can use as a resource.

Boston still needs to add firepower to the starting rotation, even with Lucas Giolito due back in 2025. Brayan Bello has made the leap folks expected and depth has been a problem for this Red Sox staff. Sasaki comes with mild durability concerns, but he's 23 with day-one impact talent and a long runway for success at the next level. There's a real chance Sasaki develops into the face of Red Sox pitching for the next decade-plus. That upside, combined with a true bargain contract, makes him a rather obvious target for the Red Sox — with or without Juan Soto.

2. Teoscar Hernandez would bring the boom to the Red Sox lineup

The front end of Boston's lineup is loaded with left-handed power — Jarren Duran, Rafael Devers, Triston Casas, Masataka Yoshida. A potent right-handed bat would help bring balance to the force, which reigning World Series champ Teoscar Hernandez can provide. He probably wants to re-sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Hernandez's price tag could balloon past LA's point of comfort, especially with the Dodgers already targeting top-shelf talent elsewhere on the market.

FanSided's Cody Williams recently made the pitch for Hernandez in a Red Sox uniform:

"The fit with the Red Sox is almost too perfect. Though the organization has a glut of outfielders, the expectation remains moving some of those pieces in the trade market. Meanwhile, Boston direly needs to add right-handed power to the lineup, which Hernandez could easily do after posting an .840 OPS with 33 home runs and 99 RBI in LA last year. Not only is Hernandez also familiar with the AL East from his time with the Blue Jays, but he's also crushed in Fenway. In 45 career games, he has a .282/.344/.606 slash line with 14 home runs, nine doubles, two triples and 44 RBI. That'll play and Boston needs to add him to the lineup."

It's hard to argue with the facts. Hernandez is the rare right-handed slugger who absolutely mashes in Fenway. He's also accustomed to the AL East landscape, which should help with the move up north. Boston has been circling Hernandez for a while, but now the front office actually seems bold enough to pull out the necessary stops. There aren't too many better bats between Soto and Hernandez in this free agent class. If the Red Sox whiff on the offseason's most coveted outfielder, Hernandez is more than a consolation prize. He could be what pushes Boston into the postseason again.

Hernandez is due for real long-term money after settling for the pricey one-year deal in LA last winter. All the Red Sox need to do it put forth an offer befitting the two-time All-Star and reigning Home Run Derby champ. If that happens, don't be surprised if Hernandez is raking baseballs over the Green Monster in a few months.

1. Red Sox can tab Max Fried to lead their rotation

The Red Sox still need a workhorse ace, even if Roki Sasaki comes knocking. There's obvious appeal in Corbin Burnes, who has been the most reliable ace in the MLB over the last decade. That said, the efficacy of Burnes' trademark cutter began to wane last season. He's 30 years old with a long of miles on his arm. That's not to say Burnes is over the hill, but he could get there by the time his next contract ends.

Blake Snell's five-year, $182 million contract in LA sets a hiiiiiigh bar for Burnes, who could get more years and a higher annual value. If the Red Sox don't feel great about that investment, why not settle for the next-best option in former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried, who still supplies All-Star, ace-level value on what should be a slightly more palatable contract. Fried would also be a quality southpaw in a rotation dominated by right-handed pitchers. The fit is strong.

He comes with some recent postseason hiccups on his resume, but Fried is a World Series champ who ascended the mountaintop in Atlanta. He has plenty of experience in October, not to mention a robust regular season track record to sell Boston on. Last season, with the Braves struggling to stay afloat amid countless injuries, Fried posted a 3.25 ERA and 1.16 WHIP across 29 starts. The Red Sox would be lucky to get him in the building.

Adding Fried and Sasaki, along with an offensive game-changer like Hernandez, would qualify as an unambiguous offseason victory for Craig Breslow and the Boston front office.