“What you are searching for is inside you.” The Boston Red Sox are taking that saying rather seriously, it seems. Despite being clear from the beginning that they need to improve their pitching if they want to contend this season, the Red Sox have taken a slight u-turn in their approach. Suddenly the Jordan Montgomery connection that looked stable has shaken from its very core. 

Internal solutions are good. In fact, they are highly sustainable. Most small-market teams have found high success using this formula, but that’s the key phrase “small-market teams”. The Boston Red Sox are anything but a small market team, but their latest strategy of focusing more on the farm than on the cheque has left most of the fanbase baffled. But there might be some method to this madness.

Boston Red Sox dives deep internally in their quest for pitching staff

The Athletic reported that there’s a growing consensus in the Red Sox staff about finding solutions internally. This means that the BoSox would much rather bet on their current pitching staff than spend on a bona fide star like Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell. This comes under the push for sustainability that the ownership has made in recent years.

Manager Alex Cora said to The Athletic “At the end of the day, the Whitlocks, the Crawfords, the Houcks, the Bellos, they have to take a step forward.” He then noted that regardless of the Red Sox signing a major star, these players will still have to step up if the BoSox wants to succeed. Later, other staff members too shared the same sentiments and were open in their support for the current pitching staff. 

Last season, the Red Sox’s pitching staff was ranked in the bottom tier across the board. With their starters having a 4.68 ERA, they ranked 22 in the Major leagues. This resulted in the Red Sox finishing last in the AL East despite having a great batting season. So it was obvious that the team needed to improve its current pitcher as well as have a strong addition to their lineup. 

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The Red Sox started strong by signing Lucas Giolito, but then they traded away Chris Sale and were back to square one. Jordan Montgomery became an obvious target, but things slowed down rapidly after a few reports made rounds.

Jordan Montgomery deal giving mixed signals

The biggest issue with the Red Sox is their tight budget. Their owners reportedly admitted that the payroll in 2024 could be lower than that of 2023 – which itself was way below the $234 million threshold. With the team currently hovering over $180 million, there are serious doubts regarding their intention to seriously pursue Montgomery. 

Simultaneously, this could also be a negotiation ploy by the BoSox. What if they want to reduce expectations and then pounce on an opportunity at the last minute? That could make sense, but one can’t be sure about the current Red Sox. 

Read more: Scott Boras Set for a 2018 Repeat This Off-Season, Should Cody Bellinger and Blake Snell Worry?