Boston Red Sox: New CBA Will Change Sox Approach to Free Agency

With the new collective bargaining agreement now in place for Major League Baseball, the Boston Red Sox will have much more freedom in regards to free agency this offseason.

Before the new CBA was signed, many of the Red Sox free-agent targets were classified as Type A free agents, meaning the team would have to surrender their first round pick in order to sign the player.

But that has all changed now as the old system of ranking free agents has been scrapped all together. Now, a team will only receive a first round pick as compensation if they offer their player a contract of $12.4 million and up. Teams that finish in the bottom 15 in the league also can not lose a first round pick no matter what. 

This helps the Red Sox out greatly as many of the free-agent targets they viewed as replacements for Jonathan Papelbon are no longer classified as Type-A free agents.

Ben Cherington will now have much more freedom to sign a new closer without having to give up a first round pick as compensation. The new CBA could mark the beginning of a much more aggressive offseason for Cherington and the Sox. 

Potential targets for the Red Sox that will no longer be considered Type-A free agents includes Heath Bell, Francisco Rodriguez and Francisco Cordero.

The closer position will not be the only area the new CBA will help the Sox in free agency as some of their potential outfield targets will now lose their Type A status as well. 

Both Josh Willingham and Michael Cuddyer have lost their Type A status, making a signing with the Red Sox much more likely. 

Papelbon, himself, was a Type-A free agent but don't worry, the new system will not be retroactive and the Philadelphia Phillies will still have to forfeit their first round pick to the Red Sox as compensation for their former closer.

Needless to say, Cherington was probably more than pleased when he heard the details of the new CBA. It would not surprise me at all to see a guy like Heath Bell in a Red Sox uniform as a result of the new CBA.