Boston could end up landing a marquee hurler

All indications have pointed toward a disappointing offseason for the Boston Red Sox after ownership rescinded their “full throttle” comments and prepared the fanbase for the possibility of a lower payroll in 2024.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is not the only leader of baseball operations limping into February, which is why frontline starters such as Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain available.

Montgomery has long been seen as a perfect fit for Boston but the Red Sox have yet to act on their interest in the southpaw.

The Rangers appeared to make a lot of sense for Montgomery as well but their uncertainty regarding their TV rights has left them hesitant to make a splash.

“There’s reasons to think that Jordan is waiting for the situation (regarding TV rights) to be sorted through and that he would like to come back to the Rangers and I think they’d like him to come back,” Dallas News’ Evan Grant said on “Foul Territory” on Friday.

“But I think in terms of talking about a $25 million contract (per year) for four, five, maybe even a six-year commitment with him, I think this team would have acted already on that. I don’t think it’s ultimately going to happen.”

The Rangers already have signed right-handed starting pitcher Tyler Mahle (two years, $22 million) and David Robertson (one year, $11.5 million guaranteed) to mildly lucrative contracts alongside a handful of lesser big-league deals.

The Red Sox have been deemed the most likely suitor for Montgomery should a reunion with the Rangers fall apart. If his price comes down, Breslow will have a chance to convince ownership to invest in the 31-year-old.

The likelihood of that happening would largely depend on how many years Montgomery is willing to settle on.

It’s hard to be optimistic about the Red Sox making a splash following aforementioned comments made at Winter Weekend but a perfect storm could be coming together for a surprise move.