The Scott Boras Show
The Red Sox have extended qualifying offers to two free agents - Xander Bogaerts and Nathan Eovaldi - while deciding not to extend the one-year, $19.65 million deal to Michael Wacha or J.D. Martinez.
The Red Sox will now receive draft pick compensation if Bogaerts and/or Eovaldi sign with another team.
While the shortstop's attachment to a qualifying offer was a no-brainer, there was some question whether or not Eovaldi would get the designation. The 32-year-old made just 20 starts, finishing 2022 with a 3.87 ERA,.
Wacha put himself in consideration for the qualifying offer with a superb season while playing under a one-year, $7 million deal.
The 31-year-old went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA, with the Red Sox going 16-7 in games he pitched in. Wacha totaled 127 1/3 innings over 23 starts.
Martinez, 35, had a down year by his standards, finishing 16 home runs (2 on the last day of the season), a .274 batting average and .790 OPS.
Since the system was implemented in 2012, only 11 of 110 players have accepted the qualifying offer.
Others offered qualifying offers were Aaron Judge, Trea Turner, Jacob deGrom, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Rodon, Brandon Nimmo, Wilson Contreras, Chris Bassitt, Anthony Rizzo, Tyler Anderson, Martin Perez and Joc Pederson.