The case can certainly be made that the Red Sox need to add several arms to their roster, especially in their starting rotation.
But according to MassLive.com’s Chris Smith and Sean McAdam, the Red Sox are listening in on offers for All-Star closer Kenley Jansen, along several other key cogs in Boston’s relief corps.
“According to an executive with another major league team, the Red Sox have made it known that they are willing to listen to offers not only for Jansen but also setup men Chris Martin and John Schreiber,” McAdam and Smith wrote.
While Boston is listening to offers for Jansen, MassLive added that the Red Sox “have been reluctant to take on any of Jansen’s 2024 salary of $16 million.”
If Boston is prioritizing shedding even more payroll this spring, it should be able to find a taker for Martin, who is due $9.5 million in 2024. But subtracting relievers like Jansen and Martin weakens one of the few areas of strength for Boston’s roster.
Jansen was Boston’s lone All-Star representative last season after recording 29 saves and posting a 3.63 ERA over 44.2 innings of work. Martin was a force as Boston’s top set-up option, going 4-1 with a 1.05 ERA over 55 appearances.
It remains to be seen why Schreiber is also being mentioned as a trade chip. He’s only counting $1.175 million against Boston’s payroll in 2024 and will not hit free agency until after the 2026 season.
On Tuesday, Craig Breslow didn’t offer much when pressed about Jansen’s future with the Red Sox.
“Where we stand is he’s on this team, he is an All-Star-caliber closer who’s had an incredible career, and we’re happy for that,” Breslow said, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “We have talented players on our team that are potentially of interest to others. But as of right now we’re excited about what he brings, what the back end of our bullpen brings, and the depth that we have down there.”
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