Red Sox Passing on Will Smith Proves They Will Be Too Budget-Conscious to Fix Bullpen

What do the Boston Red Sox think's going to happen? A pile of cost-effective, dominant relievers are going to stroll into Fenway Park this offseason and comprise a dominant bullpen in Beantown?

Good assets cost money. You'd think that wouldn't be a problem for the Red Sox considering, well, the Boston market is a very lucrative one coupled with the fact this team is just a year removed from winning the World Series. Think that netted the organization some dough?

The Sox have two clear holes: rotation depth and overall effectiveness in the bullpen. Considering it'll be hard to spend on the rotation given the prohibitive price of starting pitching, they at least have to open up the wallet for relievers. The fact they didn't do that for Will Smith proves this team is never going to fix the issue.

Smith, an All-Star reliever who's been among the best in the game over the last two years, signed a three-year, $40 million contract with the Atlanta Braves. The deal could balloon to four years and $52 million if his team option is picked up. That's not all that bad for a guy who can close, which is exactly what the Red Sox need.

If the Red Sox want to send the positive message and express faith in their current crop of relievers, that's one thing. But believing they'll turn into a shutdown unit and significantly aid the starting rotation is being overly ambitious.

Passing on Will Smith, especially at this price, was not only a mistake, but a clear indication that the Red Sox will not be spending on their bullpen, which is going to be a recurring issue for the club in 2020.