The narrative building ever since the Boston Red Sox revealed their intent to slash payroll is that we’re in store for a massive rebuild that could take years to climb out of. Fans have lashed out at ownership for being too cheap to assemble a competitive roster, accusing Boston’s brass of favoring the bottom line over winning a championship.
Frustration is understandable in the wake of a disappointing season but these fears are far overblown. The Red Sox may be forced to take a small step back in 2020 if they truly intend to dip under the luxury tax but they aren’t blowing up the roster and starting over.