Here’s 10 potential Red Sox free agent targets playing in ALCS and NLCS

The ALCS between the Rangers and Astros begins Sunday. The NLCS between the Diamondbacks and Phillies begins Monday.

Lefty Jordan Montgomery will start Game 1 for the Rangers. MassLive identified him as one of 10 potential pending free agents who the Red Sox might pursue this coming offseason.

It’s difficult to predict what Boston will do in free agency because ownership still needs to hire a head of baseball operations. But it’s obvious the Red Sox need pitching, especially starting pitching.

10 pending free agents the Red Sox might target

1. Aaron Nola, Phillies: The Red Sox need to add a few starting pitchers after finishing 22nd in starter ERA (4.68). Nola will be one of the top starters on the free agent market despite a somewhat down season in 2023. The 30-year-old righty posted a 4.46 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 32 starts (193 ⅔ innings). But Nola, who has always had strong command, recorded a 3.77 expected ERA and ranked in the 96th percentile in chase percentage (34.7%), per Baseball Savant.

He has won both his postseason starts so far. He tossed 7 shutout innings against the Marlins in the Wild Card round. He allowed two runs and struck out nine in 5 ⅔ innings in a victory over the Braves in the NLDS.

2. Jordan Montgomery, Rangers: The 30-year-old lefty has plenty of AL East experience, starting 97 games for the Yankees from 2017-22. Montgomery, who throws a nasty curveball, finished the regular season with a 3.20 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 32 starts (188 ⅔ innings) between the Cardinals and Rangers. He recorded a 2.79 ERA and allowed just 1.7 walks per nine innings in 11 starts with Texas who acquired him July 30.

He dominated his Wild Card start against the Rays with 7 shutout innings. He received a no-decision in his ALDS start vs. the Orioles, allowing five runs (four earned runs) in 4 innings.

3. Will Smith, Rangers: The Red Sox need to add a lefty reliever this offseason. Brennan Bernardino (3.20 ERA) is the only left-handed reliever on Boston’s 40-man roster to finish with an ERA under 4.90.

Smith, a 34-year-old veteran left-handed reliever, enjoyed another solid season. Left-handed batters went just 11-for-62 (.177) with one extra-base hit against him. He held righties to a .225 batting average.

He finished in the 86th percentile in expected ERA (3.28) and 93rd percentile in chase percentage (33.7%). The Rangers used multiple closers this season, including Smith who had 22 saves.

4. Aroldis Chapman, Rangers: As mentioned above, the Red Sox need to add a left-handed reliever. Chapman was one of the more dominant southpaw relievers this season in 61 outings (58 ⅓ innings) between the Royals and Rangers.

He finished in the 100th percentile in both strikeout percentage (41.4%) and whiff percentage (42.2%). He ranked in the 99th percentile in expected batting average (.170) and fastball velocity (99.5 mph). He also was in the 95th percentile in expected ERA (2.84) and 91st percentile in average exit velocity (86.5 mph). But, as…