Top Offseason Acquisitions Each Year (1991-Present)

I got my first card of a new Red Sox player for 2023:

Getting Kenley Jansen for this year was a big deal.  Boston has lacked a true closer since Craig Kimbrel left the team as a free agent after the 2018 season.  Brandon Workman did a stellar job in 2019, but really was not a closer.  Matt Barnes took over for the most part after that, and he was an All Star, but again, he was better fit for a set-up role.  Jansen on the other hand, is a true closer.

So, was Jansen the biggest offseason acquisition for the Red Sox?  In one respect he was.  Jansen is a former All Star and there is some argument for him being a Hall of Fame candidate in the future.  He is not the most hyped acquisition coming into 2023, that honor goes to Masataka Yoshida, but he was the biggest sure thing.

Let's look at the Red Sox each year I have been following them.  I want to look at who had the most hype, who was the best that year, and who was the best long-term among the major acquisitions (which I am defining as Major League players, not prospects or minor-league deals).  Obviously, it is too soon to tell with 2023.

2022

MOST HYPE:  Trevor Story.  

BEST THAT YEAR:  Michael Wacha.  11-2, 3.32 ERA, 104 strikeouts

BEST LONG-TERM:  Too soon to tell.  It would almost have to be Story since he is the only one to play more than a year, but he has yet to play this season due to injury.

2021

MOST HYPE:  Enrique Hernandez?  Maybe?  None of the pick-ups were big stars.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Hunter Renfroe.  .259/.315/.501, 31 home runs, 96 RBIs

BEST LONG-TERM:  Enrique Hernandez.  He has not been great, but again, this is the only long-lasting acquisition.  Hernandez is still with the team, in his third year.

2020

MOST HYPE:  Alex Verdugo.  Verdugo was expected to help make up for the loss of Mookie Betts.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Verdugo.  .308/.367/.478, six home runs, 15 RBIs.  COVID season.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Verdugo.  Verdugo has been a consistent hitter, though he seems to just be coming into his own.  He is in his fourth year with the Red Sox.

2019

MOST HYPE:  Colten Brewer.  There were very few pick-ups at the Major League level in 2019.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Brewer.  1-2, 4.12 ERA, 52 strikeouts in 54.1 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Brewer.  Like I said, it was not a big year for Boston getting new players.  He pitched three years in Boston, but only threw 81.1 innings.

2018

MOST HYPE:  J.D. Martinez.  

BEST THAT YEAR:  Martinez.  .330/.402/.629, 43 home runs, 130 RBIs.  All Star.  Two Silver Slugger Awards.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Martinez.  Five years, four All Star Games, Two Silver Sluggers.

2017

MOST HYPE:  Chris Sale.  Sale was one of the best pitchers in the league.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Sale.  17-8, 2.90 ERA, 308 strikeouts in 214.1 innings.  2nd in Cy Young vote.  All Star.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Sale.  He is in his sixth season, though he missed all of 2020.  Two-time All Star.

2016

MOST HYPE:  David Price.  Price was the largest free-agent contract in team history.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Price, slightly over Kimbrel.  Neither of the big pick-ups were great, but Price did go 17-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 230 innings.  

BEST LONG-TERM:  Craig Kimbrel.  Price was a little disappointing, though his performance in the 2018 postseason was huge.  Kimbrel was a three-time All Star and a top closer in 2017 in particular.

2015

MOST HYPE:  Pablo Sandoval.  Sandoval was probably the biggest name among three major acquisitions.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Hanley Ramirez.  Sandoval was terrible.  Ramirez struggled after an injury, but hit .249/.291/.426 with 19 home runs and 53 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Rick Porcello.  He also struggled in 2015, but won the Cy Young Award in 2016 and spent five seasons with the Red Sox.

2014

MOST HYPE:  Grady Sizemore.  Sizemore was a low-risk, high-reward signing who had been one of the top players in the league.  A.J. Pierzynski was probably considered more of a sure thing, but Sizemore was the big deal.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Burke Badenhop.  Not a big name, but Badenhop was a consistent bullpen arm with a 2.29 ERA in 70.2 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Edward Mujica?  He is the only new acquisition that spent more than one year there, but he only pitched in 75 games in a bit more than one year.

2013

MOST HYPE:  Joel Hanrahan.  Among several low-end free agent signings, Hanrahan was supposed to be the big pick-up.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Koji Uehara.  Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino were very good, but Uehara was amazing.  He was 4-1 with a 1.09 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 74.1 innings and 21 saves.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Uehara.  He pitched four seasons in Boston with a 2.19 ERA.

2012

MOST HYPE:  Andrew Bailey.  Former Rookie of the Year closer.  Cost Boston Josh Reddick, among others.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Cody Ross.  Low-end contract, but hit .267/.326/.481 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Bailey never came close to what was expected of him, but he was also the only major acquisition to last more than a year.

2011

MOST HYPE:  Adrian Gonzalez.  Slightly over Carl Crawford.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Gonzalez.  .338/.410/.548, 27 home runs, 117 RBIs.  All Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Gonzalez.  Crawford was a major disappointment.  Gonzalez was mostly as-advertized.

2010

MOST HYPE:  John Lackey.  Lackey was the best pitcher on the free agent market.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Adrian Beltre.  .321/.365/.553, 28 home runs, 102 RBIs.  All Star.  Resurrected his career, which put him on the track to Cooperstown, albeit in Texas.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Lackey.  He was not great for the first two years and was injured all year in 2012, but had a terrific 2013, better postseason, and then was very good in 2014 before being traded.

2009

MOST HYPE:  John Smoltz.  Future Hall of Famer in his last Major League season.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Takashi Saito.  Always a consistent reliever, had a 2.43 ERA in 55.2 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Ramon Ramirez.  Again, this is the only player who played more than a year.  Very good in 2009, not so much in 2010.

2008

MOST HYPE:  Sean Casey.  The Mayor was brought in to back up at first base.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Casey.  He was really the only choice.  He hit .322/.381/.392.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Casey.  He only played a year.

2007

MOST HYPE:  Daisuke Matsuzaka.  Boston spent a LOT of money to bring Matsuzaka to the U.S.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Hideki Okajima.  Matsuzaka was okay, but Okajima was mostly dominant in his first season.  He had a 2.22 ERA and was an All Star.

BEST LONG-TERM:  J.D. Drew.  I am a J.D. Drew fan.  He was an All Star (winning the MVP in that game) and hit .264/.370/.455 with 80 home runs and 286 RBIs in five seasons.

2006

MOST HYPE:  Josh Beckett.  Another ace acquired in a trade.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Mike Lowell.  While Beckett struggled in his first season in Boston, Lowell excelled.  He was acquired in the same trade as a throw-in, but hit .284/.339/.475 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Beckett.  He was the ALCS MVP in 2007 and finished second in the Cy Young vote.  He was an All Star three times.

2005

MOST HYPE:  Edgar Renteria.  Expected to solidify shortstop after Nomar was traded.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Matt Clement.  13-6 with a 4.57 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 191 innings pitched.  He was an All Star and his numbers looked much better before he suffered an injury after being hit in the head with a line drive.  He was never the same after that.

BEST LONG-TERM:  David Wells.  Wells was already in his 40's when he signed with Boston, but he was still effective, and really good at throwing strikes.

2004

MOST HYPE:  Curt Schilling.  The third ace Boston acquired in an offseason trade in this post.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Schilling.  He was an All Star and finished second in the Cy Young vote while going 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 226.2 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Schilling.  In four seasons, he helped lead Boston to two World Championships.

2003

MOST HYPE:  Jeremy Giambi.  Jason's brother being traded to Boston gave an interesting twist to the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Bill Mueller.  .326/.398/.540, 19 home runs, 85 RBIs.  Silver Slugger. 

BEST LONG-TERM:  David Ortiz.  Giambi did not work out.  Ortiz definitely did.  Not much I really need to say about the man who turned into a Hall of Famer.

2002

MOST HYPE:  Johnny Damon.  Damon was going to bring much-needed speed to the Red Sox lineup.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Damon.  All Star and hit .286 with 30 stolen bases.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Damon.  Two-time All Star in four seasons and the face of the 2004 Red Sox.

2001

MOST HYPE:  Manny Ramirez.  At the time, he was the biggest free agent contract in team history.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Ramirez.  All Star and Silver Slugger.  Hit .306/.405/.609 with 41 home ryns and 125 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Ramirez.  He actually lived up to his contract.  That is very rare with these huge contracts.  He was productive throughout the whole thing.

2000

MOST HYPE:  Carl Everett.  He was thought to be right on the cusp of stardom at the time.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Everett.  Often forgotten when talking about Everett's stint in Boston is how good he was in that first season.  He hit .300/.373/.587 with 34 home runs and 108 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Everett.  Not much to choose from here.  Everett was not good in 2001, but no one else from that offseason made it that long.

1999

MOST HYPE:  Jose Offerman.  This was the year they lost Mo Vaughn.  Offerman was expected to offset the loss.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Offerman.  A slump in the second half led to some more pedestrian numbers, but he was terrific in the first half.  He was an All Star and hit .294/.391/.435.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Offerman.  Nobody else made it long.  Offerman played four seasons in Boston, but never came close to his numbers in 1999.

1998

MOST HYPE:  Pedro Martinez.  The fourth ace acquired in a trade in this post.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Martinez.  He finished second in the Cy Young vote.  He went 19-7 with a 2.89 ERA and 251 strikeouts in 233.1 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Martinez.  He won two Cy Young Awards, and deserved more and was elected to the Hall of Fame.

1997

MOST HYPE:  Shane Mack, maybe?  Boston mostly picked up low-risk, high-reward former stars in 1997.  Mack was a sleeper to have a big season. 

BEST THAT YEAR:  Jim Corsi.  Mack hit .315, but in just 60 games.  Corsi was a reliable bullpen arm with a 3.43 ERA in 52 games.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Bret Saberhagen.  Saberhagen did not pitch much in 1997, but eventually contributed a 26-17 record and a 3.90 ERA over parts of four seasons.

1996

MOST HYPE:  Mike Stanley.  It's not often Boston grabs a Yankees free agent.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Stanley.  With apologies to Heathcliff Slocumb, Stanley had a great year at the plate.  He hit .270/.383/.506 with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Tom Gordon.  Stanley was very good, but Gordon turned into one of the greatest closers in Red Sox history.  He was an All Star and had a Stephen King novel with his name in the title.

1995

MOST HYPE:  Jose Canseco.  Canseco was still very much a big deal in 1995, just a few seasons removed from being one of the biggest stars in the game.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Tim Wakefield.  I might be cheating a bit.  Wakefield was released in Spring Training and Boston picked him up.  He went 16-8 with a 2.95 ERA.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Wakefield.  He pitched with Boston through 2011.  

1994

MOST HYPE:  Otis Nixon.  Another time Boston brought in some speed.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Nixon.  He hit .274/.360/.317 and stole 42 bases.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Lee Tinsley.  Tinsley was mostly a backup in 1994, but became a starter in 1995, hitting .285.

1993

MOST HYPE:  Andre Dawson.  Boston replaced future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs with future Hall of Famer Dawson.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Scott Fletcher.  I am deferring to WAR here.  Fletcher hit .285 and was great defensively.  Dawson was very much past his prime.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Fletcher.  Not much to choose from.  Dawson was not good either year, Jeff Russell was very good in 1993, but bad in 1994.  Fletcher was similar.

1992

MOST HYPE:  Frank Viola.  Former Cy Young winner was paired with reigning Cy Young winner Roger Clemens.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Viola.  He was not great, but he still had a 13-12 record with a 3.44 ERA in 238 innings.

BEST LONG-TERM:  Viola.  He was even better in 1993, before suffering major injuries in 1994.  No real competition though.

1991

MOST HYPE:  Jack Clark.  Righty power hitter with great eye at the plate.  He essentially replaced Dwight Evans.

BEST THAT YEAR:  Clark.  Hit just .249, but had a .374 OBP, 28 home runs and 87 RBIs.  

BEST LONG-TERM:  Danny Darwin.  Darwin was not great in 1991, but decent in 1992 and shockingly good in 1993 when he led the league in WHIP and won 15 games.