Previewing 5 Free-Agent Names the Boston Red Sox Should Chase This Offseason

The Boston Red Sox may look to rebound from a disappointing 2014 season by making a significant splash on the free-agent market this winter.  After dealing away a majority of their rotation at the trade deadline, replenishing their starting pitching looks to be the Red Sox's top priority.

There are three big-time arms available this offseason that will undoubtedly be at the top of every team's wish list—James Shields, Jon Lester and Max Scherzer.

Beyond these three, who else might be on Boston's radar?  Here are five other free agents the Red Sox would be wise to pursue in the months ahead.

Chris Young, SP

Associated Press

Young is in the midst of his best season since 2007.

Chris Young is not a name likely to earn many headlines as an impending free agent.  The 35-year-old missed all of 2013 after undergoing surgery to fix thoracic outlet syndrome, a previously undiagnosed condition that had caused pain in his shoulder for years.

Young made just 28 starts combined during the last four seasons, but he has bounced back with a very successful and pain-free 2014 campaign with the Seattle Mariners.  Over 162 innings, the most he's thrown since he was an All-Star for the San Diego Padres in 2007, Young is 12-8 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

Young signed a one-year contract with the Mariners late in spring training for $1.25 million, with incentives (which he is on pace to earn) that can bring it up to $4.7 million.  Should the Red Sox make a play for Young, he could probably be had at a reasonable price on a short-term deal and serve as a solid veteran presence at the back end of the rotation.

Andrew Miller, RP

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Miller has struck out 13 of the last 15 batters he's faced.

There's been lots of speculation about Boston potentially re-signing Lester, but what about Andrew Miller?

Miller's numbers out of the bullpen with the Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles this season speak for themselves.  Through 69 appearances, the lefty has a 1.96 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP and a whopping 99 strikeouts in just 59.2 innings pitched.

During his recent trip back to Boston as a member of the Orioles, Miller said the following about a possible return to the Red Sox, via Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal:

"

I loved my time here. There's no secret to that. My wife and I loved it here. It's a great place to play, the way you get treated by the organization. It's a great place to live. It's a hard situation to leave.

If I could script it, I'd say, certainly, I'd love to be back.

"

Boston currently has three left-handed relievers on its 40-man roster—Craig Breslow, Drake Britton and Tommy Layne—but none of them are locks to make the team next year.

Pablo Sandoval, 3B

Associated Press

Sandoval may be too pricey for Boston's tastes.

Pablo Sandoval will be the top free-agent third baseman available, and it's a position the Red Sox should be looking to improve at.  Will Middlebrooks is not the answer—he's batting .182 this season with an only marginally better career average of .237.

Next year, Boston could try Brock Holt at third base full time or go with prospect Garin Cecchini.  But if the Red Sox decide to spend money to fill the need, Sandoval is the best option out there.  The 28-year-old is hitting .284 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI for the San Francisco Giants.

Back in April, Sandoval reportedly rejected a three-year, $40 million offer from the Giants and in turn asked for a five-year, $100 million deal, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.  Something halfway in between might be of interest to the Red Sox.

Edinson Volquez, SP

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Volquez's 1.26 WHIP in 2014 is a career-best.

Edinson Volquez inked a one-year, $5 million contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates last winter, and to this point, he has more than earned his money.  The 31-year-old is enjoying his best season since 2008, posting a 12-7 record, 3.27 ERA and 1.26 WHIP through 29 starts.

After Volquez's most recent outing, in which he allowed one earned run over seven innings in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Bob Smizik wrote: "Volquez won’t have to worry about a starting job next spring, although it won’t likely be with the Pirates. … Volquez will be a free agent after the season and based on his 2014 performance in line for a multi-year deal. Re-signing with the Pirates is a possibility but not a strong one."

While he may be too high-priced for the small-market Pirates to retain, the Red Sox could offer Volquez an enticing two- or three-year contract without breaking the bank.

Ervin Santana, SP

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Santana is a proven commodity that Boston should consider.

After Scherzer, Lester and Shields, Ervin Santana appears to be the most talented pitcher on the free-agent market this offseason.

The 10-year veteran is 14-9 with a 3.74 ERA and 1.28 WHIP for the Atlanta Braves.  He's not an ace, but Santana has been consistent and durable throughout his career.  The 31-year-old has never pitched fewer than 133 innings in a season, and with his next appearance he will have started 30 or more games in each of the past five years.

Santana signed a one-year deal with the Braves in March for $14.1 million, and chances are he'll be looking for similar money going forward.  He won't be a bargain like Young or Volquez, but if the Red Sox fail to score one of the bigger names available, Santana could be a nice consolation prize.

Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, with contract information via Spotrac.com.