3) Sign another veteran starting pitcher.
Getz signed Bryse Wilson this week and he will be given a shot to compete for a starting rotation spot.
It was a prudent move in that Wilson has experience starting, is 27, and will cost just a tad over $1 million. However, his numbers suggest he is a better option out of the bullpen rather than in the starting rotation.
The Sox could go with other internal options from their farm system in Jairo Iriate, Mason Adams, Nick Nastrini, and Ky Bush to fill the fifth-starter spot in case Wilson fails in spring training. They also just drafted Shane Smith in the Rule 5 Draft with the opportunity to earn a starting spot.
Still, Getz should entertain a proven veteran starter to help continue to show the ways of pitching in the big leagues for promising young arms such as Jonathan Cannon, Davis Martin, Drew Thorpe, and Sean Burke--all of whom should be penciled into the starting rotation.
Iriate might be better suited for the bullpen and will likely need his innings load built up since he was on an innings restriction in the minors. Nastrini and Bush have to prove they can command their pitches in the bigs. Adams is still an unknown.
It might be better to hide Smith on the roster in the bullpen since the Sox have to keep him on the 26-man roster due to his Rule 5 Draft status.
A reunion with Jose Quintana makes sense. Signing Jakob Junis to compete against Wilson for the fifth starter and whoever loses goes to the bullpen is another option.
Michael Lorenzen and Andrew Heaney are veteran arms who pitched in Texas this season when Venable was there. Adding one of them would not be a terrible idea to eat some innings and then flip at the trade deadline.