Dodgers GM talks pursuits of Ohtani, Yamamoto
The term "full throttle" has been the uncomfortable credo for the Red Sox this season, with fans wondering what Red Sox chairman Tom Werner was referencing when using the statement to describe his team's intentions in early November.
With the most notable signing to date the acquisition of pitcher Lucas Giolito on a two-year deal, while also trading away veterans Alex Verdugo and Chris Sale, the Sox' actions have fallen well short of that early-offseason hype.
Talking to Sean McAdam Tuesday, Werner addressed the well-publicized comment.
“Maybe that wasn’t the most artful way of saying what I wanted to say,” Werner told MassLive, “which is that we’re going to be pressing all levers to improve the team. In the end, nobody’s happy with our performance the last few years. Some years, we go after somebody who is about to be a free agent, or was a free agent, as it pertains to Trevor Story or Raffy Devers.
“We felt very strongly that we were going to compete for (Japanese free agent Yoshinobu) Yamamoto’s services. But in the end, he went to another team. But we felt were in the mix and we were going to be competitive. We certainly aren’t happy with the current roster as it was at the end of last year, so if I was going to say it again, I would say that we’re going to be pressing all levers and weren’t going to be happy with just one (method) — that includes free agency, trades or talent from Triple and Double A. I think that’s really what I meant.“
“In the end, we don’t have a line in terms of our payroll that we look at as much as trusting that Craig (Breslow) is going to deliver on his assurance that we’re going to be competitive.”
The Red Sox' payroll currently sits at around $200 million, which is well short of the $237 million luxury tax threshold.
Werner went on to explain in the report that Breslow - the Red Sox' chief baseball officer - does have the ability to spend, citing the team's pursuit of Yamamoto as an example.
“We’d rather not advertise our internal conversations,” said Werner. “I think it’s more about what recommendations does Craig have to improve the team. Obviously, if we had been successful with Yamamoto, that would have been something we’d have been pleased about.”
The Sox' chairman added, "I think we need to be competitive,” countered Werner. “We were competitive for the early part of the season last year and then obviously the wheels came off. But I think the fans expect us to be relentless about a competitive team. The thinking (behind) the trade that we made (in moving) Chris Sale — and I have great fondness for Chris Sale — was not about shedding salary as much as it was having more competitive pitching going forward and more control of competitive pitching.
“I guess the message is that we are confident that we’re going to field a competitive team and that we’re going to let Craig do what he does best, which is to build exactly that.”
Werner is expected to be joining team president Sam Kennedy on stage Friday night at Winter Weekend. McAdam notes that, per a source principal owner John Henry isn't attending due to a "scheduling issue."