Red Sox Winter Meetings: Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga 'preferred' options for AL giants

The Boston Red Sox are in need of signing new players to the roster for the upcoming 2024 season. Chief baseball officer of Boston, Craig Breslow, showed up in Nashville, TN, for the winter meetings with the sole purpose of signing a new arm to Fenway Park, but that hunt still goes on as the 2023 Winter Meetings come to an end.

"Red Sox showed interest in bringing back Eduardo Rodriguez but preferred to wait on Yamamoto and Imanaga," - Jon Heyman tweeted.

MLB analyst Jon Heyman reported Boston's continued interest in a foray of pitchers this offseason, but they are still waiting to sign one or both of the Japanese ace pitchers on the free agent market right now.

Both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga were given the green light to join the MLB free agency after transferring from the Nippon Baseball League in Japan.

Yamamoto, the free agent, is still the greatest prize up for grabs. There will be fierce competition for his services. The Sox have been closely monitoring lefty Jordan Montgomery, who made an impact for the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers.

The other elite free-agent pitchers are former Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez and 2023 National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell. Lucas Giolito, a right-hander with much baseball skill who pitched for three teams in a disappointing 2023 season, is another candidate in the mix.

Boston Red Sox need to do a lot this offseason

Yamamoto was said to be able to envisage a $200 million contract at first. These numbers have recently increased dramatically, approaching the $300 million mark—but this is all pure conjecture. Yamamoto, 25, possesses a unique blend of youth, experience, and superior productivity. He could be the real ace on the mound in the 2024 MLB season.

Breslow and Co. must make a major investment to acquire the best pitcher available. Since Chris Sale's sharp downturn, the Red Sox have severely lacked an ace. There will be involvement from all major markets, but Boston needs to show the other teams in the league that they can write checks as big as anyone else's.