Sounds Like Ryan Dempster Could Be Headed to the Red Sox (UPDATE: Two Years, $26.5 Million)

As I’ve said since the moment his name first popped up this offseason, Ryan Dempster never seemed like a good fit for the Cubs. Yes, they need starters, and yes they could probably use a veteran leader or two. But the Cubs just sent Dempster away mid-season, he’ll be 36 next year, and he’s looking to cash in on what might be his last big contract. It was very hard to see the fit.

And it sounds like there won’t be a fit, as Ken Rosenthal reports that Dempster and the Boston Red Sox are close to a deal. There were previous reports that Dempster had turned down a two-year, $25 million from the Red Sox, so it’ll be interesting to see if he decided he couldn’t do better, or if they decided to up the offer.

The Red Sox had been connected to a number of starters in the mid-tier pitching market, so, if Dempster ends up going there, and if the Cubs weren’t ever really seriously in on Dempster, him signing there would have a slight positive impact on the Cubs’ chances with other starters in that range.

UPDATE: Rosenthal reports that it’s going to be two years and $26.5 million for Dempster, who obviously decided he’d settle for Boston if they could just bump their offer slightly. Best of luck to Dempster with the Red Sox.