Alex Cora: Red Sox have been 'relentless'…
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Alex Cora: Red Sox have been 'relentless' in exploring starting pitching free-agent market
Challenges await Sox for 2021 staff
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora listens to a question during the 2019 Major League Baseball winter meetings Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
By Stephen Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
PUBLISHED: December 17, 2020 at 3:13 p.m. | UPDATED: December 17, 2020 at 7:43 p.m.
Though there hasn't been much action yet this winter, and though smoke might not necessarily mean there's a fire, Alex Cora and the Red Sox are hard at work.
"If you hear a rumor about the Red Sox and this guy, yeah we're doing our homework and we're trying to be better," the Red Sox manager said Thursday.
The needs are still aplenty for the Red Sox as they work on repairing their last-place team from this season, but it's obvious that their biggest priority this offseason should be starting pitching after the staff's abysmal performance in 2020 and with their two best pitchers, Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodriguez, still rehabbing after both missing the entire season.
There was more encouraging news for Rodriguez on Wednesday as the left-hander, who missed 2020 due to COVID-related myocarditis, posted a video on social media of himself pitching on flat ground in Miami. Sale is still in Fort Myers working back from Tommy John surgery, and Cora described both of them as progressing well.
"I know a lot of people saw Eduardo yesterday throwing off the mound in Florida, which is a good sign," Cora said. "For me personally, I'm happy that he's been able to go through his workouts as a regular person. What he went through in the summer is not a joking matter. We know that it's a very serious situation and I'm glad that he's working out."
Rodriguez is expected to be ready for spring training and the start of the regular season, though his situation remains unprecedented in how his body reacts over a full season. And with Sale not expected back until the summer, there remain several question marks. With Nathan Eovaldi the only certain lock — Nick Pivetta and Tanner Houck looked promising and are likely 2021 rotation candidates — the Red Sox obviously need to add this winter.
The market thus far has unfolded slowly. As of Thursday afternoon, only 11 of the 57 free-agent starting pitchers have signed, according to MLB Trade Rumors. But it's only a matter of time before the Red Sox find at least one, and more likely multiple new arms.
"Those conversations are going on and on," Cora said. "It's not on and off. It's on and on. Me and Chaim (Bloom), we've been talking about it. They've been relentless as far as exploring the market and exploring everything. … It's something like we said, we have to wait and see. We have to be patient. Obviously the market right now if you take a look at it, how many starters have signed? Not too many. And there's a lot out there that they can help us and they can help a lot of guys."
One way or another, the Red Sox will need to find a way to eat innings over a 162-game schedule, especially as they wait for Sale to return and the uncertainty surrounding Rodriguez. Bloom has spoken about a priority to add pitching depth, and that can come in creative ways, too, including openers and more likely long-relief swingmen who can pick up the middle innings.
During their 2018 championship-winning season, Cora constantly praised Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez as the team's MVPs for their versatility and an ability to make important spot starts while also coming out of the bullpen to eat up innings. In a season like 2021, pitchers like that could be even more valuable for the Red Sox. But it's much too early for Cora to identify them, especially as he continues to get re-acclimated to the team after his season-long suspension.
"I'm learning about my guys, to be honest with you," Cora said. "I'm looking at the information, I'm looking at games and there's some interesting guys, but at the same time, for me to go ahead and tell you a name or names of guys who can become BJ, Hector in '18, it's not fair right now. It's not fair for them, it's not fair for me because I'm trying to digest as much information as possible and the decision will be made as a group, with the front office and the pitching department."
Cora and the Red Sox don't seem to be ruling out anything when it comes to their 2021 rotation. The Mariners last season utilized a six-man rotation to manage their arms during an unprecedented season in which pitchers had built up during spring training only for the season to be delayed and ultimately played in a shortened schedule.
The Red Sox have not yet discussed a six-man rotation, Cora said, but in talking with pitching coach Dave Bush, he knows 2021 will be a challenge in managing their arms after a 2020 season in which pitchers threw significantly less than usual.
"I believe that every organization at this level is having those conversations how we're going to jump from what they had last year to what we are thinking about this year and it's something that's worrisome because we have to take care of the health of these guys," Cora said. "But at the same time it's something we have to put in balance, like how much we're going to push them for us to be successful. So the conversations have been going on since I got back and I know it's a concern for Bushy, I know it's a concern for the front office, it's a concern for me and we'll see how the offseason goes.
"It's still early — although it's late, kind of — but when the whole puzzle is finished, whenever it's finished, then we'll go from there and make decisions from that end."
Stephen Hewitt | Editorial Assistant
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