Red Sox are ‘clear front-runners’ for Tanner Scott

The Red Sox have already made some upgrades to their bullpen this offseason, signing both Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson earlier this winter. 

But is Boston still setting its sights on the top reliever on the open market in Tanner Scott?  Former MLB GM Jim Bowden seems to think so. 

“The most-impactful closer on the market has yet to sign and teams are lining up for him but waiting for the asking price to drop,” Bowden wrote in his latest piece in The Athletic. “The Red Sox are the clear front-runners for Scott.

“Their chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, was a left-handed reliever in his playing days and seems obsessed with corralling lefty pitchers: He’s already signed three of them in free agency (Patrick Sandoval, Aroldis Chapman, Justin Wilson) and acquired two more via trades (Garrett Crochet, Jovani Moran). Red Sox manager Alex Cora prefers a single closer and Scott is the best one available.”

The Red Sox already have the makings of a strong bullpen, with Chapman and Wilson joining a grouping that also features Liam Hendriks, Justin Slaten, and Garrett Whitlock. But Scott could step in immediately as an elite closer for Boston, giving Alex Cora several intriguing options for seventh and eighth-inning duties. 

Scott, 30, is coming off his first All-Star appearance last season, which was split between the Marlins and the Padres. He appeared in 72 total games between both teams in 2024, sporting a 1.75 ERA and striking out 84 batters over 72 innings of work while walking 36. 

The Red Sox still have the spending power to add an impact reliever like Scott, but Bowden also predicts that Boston will enter spring training with the top hitter left on the free-agent market in Alex Bregman. 

“Boston is my favorite spot for Bregman, who will turn 31 in March,” Bowden added. “They need a right-handed power pull hitter, and he would do significant damage to the Green Monster in left field.

“They could move Rafael Devers to first base and put Triston Casas at DH or they could just put Bregman at second base full-time. His leadership and ability to grind at-bats would help this young roster. He could be the final piece in getting the Red Sox back to the postseason.”