O’Halloran exploring all avenues for Red Sox

Though there are no in-person Winter Meetings this season, Red Sox general manager Brian O’Halloran knows that the Hot Stove meter is running and his team is open to any way to improve on the utter disappointment of 2020.

Between resetting the luxury tax and injuries to the team’s top two pitchers, Boston never stood much of a chance in the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.

But the club plans on proving that 2020 was very much a blip on the radar and not a signal that the Sox are embarking on some sort of rebuilding plan that would have them out of the pennant race in ’21 and beyond.

The key will be to balance the short-term (adding pitching) and long-term goals (building up the farm system).

“We want to and we expect to compete for the postseason and beyond in 2021, but as we’ve stated numerous times and you all know what our long-term goals are, to be competitive and a championship-caliber team year in and year out,” said O’Halloran. “And we need to continue to work on the long-term piece of that as well.”

“Yeah, to make progress [and succeed in the short term] as we are trying to reach our long-term goals, that is the challenge, but certainly we have nothing to complain about here,” said O’Halloran. “No excuses. We have the resources that we need to build good teams, so that’s a challenge that we readily accept.”

The best way Boston can get better in 2021 is by improving the rotation. The return to health of Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale will go a long way toward doing that, but the club is also eying help from outside the organization.

Former American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, who has made just eight starts over the past two seasons due to injuries, could be an intriguing reclamation option on the free-agent market.

Other starting pitchers have already signed with other clubs, including Mike Minor (Royals), Charlie Morton (Braves) and Drew Smyly (Braves).

“I think there are certainly a number of starting pitching options out there of various stripes and also of course there’s the trade market,” O’Halloran said. “Yes, you’re right, several of those pitchers have signed, but there are plenty of opportunities to delve into that market further. It can either be free agency or a trade. As you all know, starting pitching and pitching in general is an area that we would like to improve and add depth to. We continue to work on that.”

O’Halloran discussed various other topics in his Zoom call on Monday.

Bradley still on Red Sox's radar
While it seems to be a foregone conclusion that veteran center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. will sign elsewhere as a free agent, O’Halloran said that the team continues to monitor the situation.

“Jackie is definitely on our radar and we’ve all seen what Jackie has been able to do over the years,” O’Halloran said. “He is certainly a guy that, to use your terminology, we’ll absolutely keep on our radar and see where it goes.”

Closing time?
Will the Red Sox have a set closer next season, or will they go with a more matchup-based approach?

They tried the latter approach to start the 2019 season, but Brandon Workman took over the ninth inning in the second half of that season and held it until he was traded this August. Matt Barnes, a setup man most of his career, closed for the final month of the '20 season.

“We don’t have any particular set-in-stone approach to how to build the bullpen, the back end of the bullpen. I think the bottom line is developing and acquiring really good pitchers that can get both sides out,” O’Halloran said. “We’re talking about high-leverage situations, late in games, that type of thing. The more options you can give your manager, the better. And how he deploys them and how we look at that and how that shakes out in terms of roles can depend on the personnel and who the manager feels comfortable with and various things.

“So I wouldn’t say that there’s one way or another, but I wouldn’t close out any door on that whether we end up with someone who is more like the traditional closer type vs. other approaches.”

Decision on Pedroia still looms
While it remains doubtful that Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia (major left knee issues) will ever play again, he remains on the 40-man roster as he enters the final season of his contract.

Could Boston and Pedroia at some point reach some sort of parting agreement, which would free up his roster spot?

“Dustin is going to have the say in anything going forward with his career, and certainly as a Red Sox great and someone with who I’ve personally had the pleasure of knowing for many, many years now, we would give Dustin the respect of having input of course in everything that goes on with him and keep any conversations we have with him private,” said O’Halloran.