Friday is Major League Baseball's non-tender date, in which teams must determine whether to offer contracts to their arbitration-eligible players and pre-arbitration players. Those who are not tendered automatically become free agents.
For the Red Sox, a number of decisions were no-brainers. The Red Sox tendered contracts to arbitration-eligibles Rafael Devers (projection arbitration figure: $16.9 million); Nick Pivetta ($5.9 million); Alex Verdugo ($6.9 million); Christian Arroyo ($2.2 million) and Reese McGuire ($1.3 million).
In something of a surprise, the team also tendered Ryan Brasier ($2.3 million) and Josh Taylor ($1.1 million).
They chose not to tender a contract to Franchy Cordero ($1.5 million), making him a free agent, along with utility infielder Yu Chang ($900,000).
Earlier, the team had signed another arbitration-eligible player, outfielder Rob Refsnyder to a $1.2 while designating for assignment outfielder Abraham Almonte, who cleared waivers and elected free agency.
The decision to tender Brasier was easily the most unexpected development. Last year, when his arbitration number was considerably less, the Red Sox essentially forced Brasier to either accept a lower dictated salary at $1.4 million.
This past season, Brasier performed poorly, with an 0-3, 5.85 ERA with a 1.299 WHIP. His peripheral numbers were similarly alarming, including finishing in the top three percent of hard-hit balls allowed and the top five percent in exit-velocity against.
But in recent weeks, in public comments from team executives, Brasier's name has been mentioned, indicating the team envisioned him being a bullpen contributor.
Taylor, too, was seen as a coin flip when it came to tendering him a contract. After a solid 2021 season (3.40 ERA, 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings), Taylor missed all of 2022 with a lower back injury.
However, the Sox don't currently have a lefty with major league experience on their roster, having traded Jake Diekman at the trade deadline. Matt Strahm, who performed well out of the bullpen, is a free agent.
For a time last year, it appeared as though Cordero, part of the return in a deal that sent Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City in February of 2021, was on the cusp of breaking through and becoming a significant contributor to the major league roster. In the first few months of the season, Cordero showed far better understanding of the strike zone and upped his walk rate at Triple A Worcester while cutting down his strikeouts.
Finally, Cordero seemed poised to get to his plus power more regularly -- and for a time after being promoted to the big leagues, he did. But over the courser of the season, he reverted to his old habits and finished the year slashing .219/.300/.397 with a 92 OPS+. Cordero hit eight homers and knocked in 29 runs. He also finished with a 33.5% strikeout rate.
Worse, Cordero proved inept at first base, leaving corner outfield (and DH) as his only likely landing spots.
Finally, there's Chang, who spent time with three other organizations (Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay) last year before being claimed on waivers from the Rays in September. Chang showed himself to be a versatile defender, but never stood out with his playing time, and the Sox have moved on.