Bradfo reacts to Yamamoto going to the Dodgers
Back in December 2015, the Red Sox got the gut-punching news that Jon Lester had chosen the Cubs. The immediate reaction was a trade for Wade Miley and the signing of Rick Porcello.
Last offseason, on the day news came down that Xander Bogaerts had taken an 11-year deal with the Padres, the Sox almost immediately surfaced news of agreements with Masa Yoshida and Kenley Jansen.
Now we have the Yoshinobu Yamamoto development.
As was seemingly the case with those two aforementioned situations, the Red Sox are officially on the clock.
The first thing to understand is that there should be no room for interpretation when it comes how much the Red Sox wanted Yamamoto. For the last couple of years the pitcher has been the apple of the organization's eye, and that hadn't changed even with any front office turnover. But, thanks to the Dodgers allocating $375 million to the 25-year-old, that dream has died.
So, it's on to Plan B. The only thing we know for sure is that the Red Sox better not land at Plan C or D or E or ... you get the picture.
As uncomfortable and uncertain as the chase for Yamamoto was, everyone understood that what awaited the teams he stiff-armed would be almost equally as uneasy. The Yankees - who were perceived as the other finalist for Yamamoto - aren't going to sit around thinking that Juan Soto can make up for a starting rotation that thins out in a hurry after Gerrit Cole.
The Giants are absolutely going to keep throwing money at high-end free agent pitchers until someone accepts their offer. The Mets? So much for Max Scherzer's proclamation that they were ready to focus on 2026. And don't think for a minute that the Phillies - who deliciously got in the Yamamoto mix - are content on signing Aaron Nola and riding the 2023 vibes.
And we haven't even mentioned the teams who weren't in on Yamamoto that had to wait out the decision before finding their starting pitchers. The Angels are reportedly in on Blake Snell. Teams like the Cubs and Pirates seem to be joining the pursuit of Shota Imanaga, who is also perceived as one of the chief fallback plans for the teams who missed out on the other Japanese starter.
It is no secret the Red Sox have liked free agent starter Jordan Montgomery, but they aren't alone. There will be as much competition for the lefty - if not more - than any free agent starter on the market, especially considering there is no qualifying offer attached. It has put the Red Sox in position where they might have to identify a really good - but probably not no-doubt-about-it-No. 1 - guy as the biggest starting pitching investment in team history.
Then there are the potential trades. Without the willingness to give up the farm system's Big 3 - Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kyle Teel - it would seem extremely difficult to pry away a Jesus Luzardo from Miami, or even Corbin Burnes from Milwaukee. As highly-touted as the Red Sox' farm system has become, there simply doesn't seem to be the same level of trade assets possessed by other teams getting in the trade market mix (see, the Yankees).
And unless an out-of-nowhere trade is made, the Red Sox' lot in life is pretty much cemented heading into 2023. Without game-changing big names, such as Yamamoto, joining the mix, the team will be needing to push aside apathy with early-season wins and breakout performances. That can happen. But living that life - where there is no Hot Stove sugar rush - is always a bit uncomfortable.
The winter solstice has come and gone and the Red Sox have spent exactly $1 million in free agency. That will change. It has to, right?
All we know for sure are the offseason questions. Now - for better or worse - we're about to get the answers.