Red Sox have no excuse for not attempting to sign Michael Lorenzen

This offseason has been one of the most frustrating ones for Boston Red Sox fans in recent memory. After consecutive seasons finishing at the bottom of the AL East, the Red Sox sold their fans that they had enough of the losing by firing Chaim Bloom, replacing him with Craig Breslow, and saying they're ready to go "full throttle" this offseason.

As Opening Day approaches, the Red Sox appear to be worse on paper than the 78-84 team they've been in each of the last two seasons. The AL East, the most difficult division in baseball, has only gotten tougher with guys like Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes entering. That, combined with the Red Sox doing nothing, has Boston fans expecting the worst.

One major need that the Red Sox seemingly had to address if they wanted to compete entering this offseason was their rotation. They did that, somewhat, by signing Lucas Giolito, but he won't throw a single pitch for them this season after tearing his UCL.

You'd think after Giolito suffered that injury Boston would pivot to another starter. Sure, maybe Jordan Montgomery is too expensive (he's not), but what's the excuse for Boston passing on Michael Lorenzen, a solid arm who just signed a cheap one-year deal with the Texas Rangers? There really is no excuse.

Passing on Michael Lorenzen is the latest laughable outcome in what has become a disastrous offseason for the Red Sox

Refusing to give Jordan Montgomery, a pitcher who'd be such a perfect fit in Beantown a big free agent contract is one thing, but this? What exactly is the excuse here?

Lorenzen signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million. The deal includes $2.5 million in incentives, maxing out at $7 million. The Red Sox seriously couldn't top the $4.5 million guarantee? I mean, what're we doing here?

The way things look right now, the Red Sox are essentially running back the same starting rotation from last season that was one of the worst in the American League, just without its ace Chris Sale. Sale's injury history is cause for concern, of course, but when healthy, he's still an effective starter.

Lorenzen is not an ace, and in an ideal world, he's not even a mid-rotation starter. He is, however, a very capable back-end arm who'd certainly be an upgrade over pitchers like Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck - two right-handers who are beyond unproven as starting pitchers.

Lorenzen was an upgrade for the taking for Boston and came at a dirt cheap price. If for whatever reason it didn't work out, the deal was only for one year. This is just the latest of an offseason full of them for a Red Sox team that seems poised to finish at the bottom once again.