The narrative that dominated the offseason was the pressing desire by the Boston Red Sox ownership group to slash payroll in an effort to avoid paying the luxury tax for a third consecutive season. While the penalties for repeat offenders are increasingly severe, fans have little sympathy for owners willing to dismantle a potential contender in order t save a few million when their franchise is worth billions.
That point is driven home by the latest evaluation of the value of each franchise. According to Forbes, the Red Sox are the third-most valuable team in Major League Baseball at an estimated $3.