HBT: Red Sox willing to add payroll for pitching

We?re only one game into the season and there are already many questions about the Red Sox pitching staff. Andrew Bailey?s recent thumb surgery has unexpectedly pushed Alfredo Aceves into the closer role while Daniel Bard and Felix Doubront are holding down the final two spots in the starting rotation.

It?s much too soon make any judgements about whether these moves will be successful, but Red Sox president Larry Lucchino told Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that he?s willing to increase the payroll to improve the pitching staff.

One obvious target is Roy Oswalt, who the Red Sox courted during the offseason. He?s currently aiming for a midseason return with a contender. His possible addition would potentially allow Bard or Doubront to move to the bullpen. The Red Sox have also had their eye on free agent reliever Mike Gonzalez, though he may eventually be redundant with Rich Hill on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery. Of course, they could also increase payroll via a trade before the deadline.

The Red Sox began the season with a payroll of approximately $173 million and Lucchino said during an appearance on MLB Network Radio that he expects the team to be over the luxury tax threshold regardless.

?Our goal is to field a team with more homegrown players, fewer free agents, and to have a more manageable payroll down the road. But if you?re asking about this year, we understand that each year has to be taken on its own and this year our payroll is going to be, I?d hate to make a guess, but it?ll be well over the $178 million dollar threshold.??

Similar to the Yankees, the Red Sox are tightening their belts with the new collective bargaining agreement in mind. With taxes shooting sky high, they can get a rebate on some luxury tax payments if they get under the threshold just once and will only be taxed as a first-time offender if they go back over in a future season.

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