3 reasons why landing Sale was a huge win for Dombrowski
Dave Dombrowski has one hell of a poker face.
The Boston Red Sox president had been predicting a lack of activity from his camp at the winter meetings, focusing on adding an eighth-inning arm and possibly a first baseman/designated hitter on a multi-year deal.
It seemed like Dombrowski was telling the truth early Tuesday morning when he landed right-hander Tyler Thornburg from the Brewers, but it appears Dealin' Dave couldn't help himself.
The man who's never met a prospect he wasn't willing to trade swung for the fences in the early afternoon, shipping off Major League Baseball's No. 1 prospect Yoan Moncada, the Red Sox No. 2 pitching prospect Michael Kopech, and two other prospects in exchange for Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale.
Trading high-profile prospects is certainly a major risk, but there's plenty of reasons for Dombrowski to consider this move a major win for the Red Sox:
The rotation is now elite
While the cost to acquire Sale was significant, adding the left-hander makes the Red Sox rotation the class of the American League.
Sale, David Price, reigning AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, Drew Pomeranz, Clay Buchholz, and Steven Wright are all available starters for manager John Farrell.
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sale | 226.3 | 3.34 | 1.03 | 233 |
| Price | 230 | 3.99 | 1.20 | 228 |
| Porcello | 223 | 3.15 | 1.00 | 189 |
| Rodriguez | 107 | 4.71 | 1.29 | 100 |
| Pomeranz | 170.2 | 4.59 | 1.36 | 71 |
| Wright | 156.2 | 3.33 | 1.24 | 127 |
| Buchholz | 139.1 | 4.78 | 1.33 | 93 |
Adding a pitcher with Sale's resume takes additional pressure off the likes of Price, Porcello, and Pomeranz, while allowing 23-year-old Rodriguez to further develop at the back end of the rotation.
Sale has finished in the top five for Cy Young voting in each of the last four seasons, while he and Price rank first and second in terms of strikeouts in the AL since 2012.
Major-league roster remains intact
Moncada and Kopech have the potential to develop into very good major leaguers, but neither were expected to make the 2017 Opening Day roster.
Boston is built to win now, and while Dombrowski continues to move pieces out of his minor-league system, his major-league roster remains loaded with young talent. Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Marco Hernandez, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Blake Swihart are all under 25, and will be contributors with the big club next season.
Dombrowski acknowledged the White Sox initially wanted players from the Red Sox major-league roster (including Jackie Bradley Jr.), but he refused. Talks only gained steam once Chicago changed its asking price to prospects.
Financial flexibility
Not only is Sale arguably the best starter in the American League, he's also the biggest bargain. He's owed $12 million in 2017, with a $12.5-million team option in 2018 and $13.5-million team option in 2019. He'll be the eighth-highest paid player on the Red Sox next season.
Dombrowski has been adamant that the team would like to remain under the luxury-tax threshold this upcoming season, and Sale's deal helps keep that financial flexibility. The club can now look at potentially dealing Buchholz, who's owed $13.5 million next season.
The reigning AL East champs now have the core of Price, Porcello, and Sale under contract through the 2019 season.