The Boston Red Sox, led by Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom, at the very least, are looking to make a few signings to bolster their roster that finished a disappointing 78-84 in 2022, good for last in the AL East. One particular area of struggle for the Red Sox in 2022 was their pitching. The whole cavalry of Red Sox arms finished 22nd in total WAR (per Fangraphs), but their bullpen in particular, was a cause for extreme concern after posting the fifth-worst ERA and fourth-worst cumulative WAR.

Thus, Boston pursued some of the quality arms in free agency, including former Philadelphia Phillies starter/reliever Zach Eflin. However, Eflin spurned the Red Sox in favor of division rivals Tampa Bay Rays due to geographical reasons, forcing Boston to set their sights on their other targets. One such target was Andrew Heaney, who, despite battling shoulder injuries in 2022, posted a solid 3.10 ERA in 72.2 innings (14 starts).

Alas, things just don't seem to go according to the Red Sox' plans. Heaney, much like Eflin, decided not to sign with Boston. The 31-year old southpaw ended up signing with the Texas Rangers on a two-year, $25 million deal – fewer dollars than what the Red Sox offered, per Chris Cotillo – due to personal reasons, including his strong relationship with Chris Young.

Andrew Heaney may not have been the flashiest name, but he still would have been a worthwhile addition to a pitching corps in dire need of reinforcement. Perhaps Chris Sale, after three injury-riddled seasons, could make a triumphant return in 2023.

Nevertheless, Red Sox fans will be disappointed that their team just couldn't seem to secure their free agent targets despite offering comparable, if not more money. Still, there is still long to go in the offseason, so it's not all doom and gloom for Chaim Bloom in Boston.