Standout Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion is a pending free agent, and the division-rival Red Sox will have a designated hitter opening at season’s end if David Ortiz goes through with his retirement. The idea of the Red Sox signing Encarnacion in the offseason as Ortiz’s replacement has come up as a result, and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the 33-year-old has some important fans in Boston. Manager John Farrell, bench coach Torey Lovullo and third base coach Brian Butterfield – all of whom were previously in Toronto – are Encarnacion supporters, which could factor into whether the BoSox pursue him. In regards to his future, Encarnacion offered, “We’ll see what’s going to happen. For now I’m with the Blue Jays and I’m just trying to contribute to us winning.”
More from Cafardo:
- Left-hander Matt Moore is the likeliest Rays starter to end up on the move, team executives believe. Having posted a 4.33 ERA, 7.58 K/9 and 2.63 BB/9 through 116 1/3 innings, the 27-year-old is drawing interest from the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Royals, Red Sox, Orioles, Marlins and Rangers (notably, Rob Bradford of WEEI reported Saturday that the Rays aren’t open to dealing with division-rival Boston; the same might hold true with Baltimore and Toronto). Moore is reasonably priced via club options through 2019.
- All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy offered some possible explanations as to why the Brewers haven’t traded him yet, despite incessant rumors.“There haven’t been that many catchers who have been injured this year so that’s one reason,” he said. “Some teams think it’s tough to bring a catcher in at midseason because they have to get to know a whole new set of pitchers. That’s not a huge factor for me. And then whatever it is you have to give up.” Considering his elite two-way production and cheap control through 2017, Milwaukee should be in line for a lofty return if it finally moves the 30-year-old before the deadline.
- The Twins would willingly take a lesser return for right-hander Ervin Santana if it enables them to jettison the remainder of his $28MM salary. The Orioles and Royals, whom Santana previously pitched for, are potential fits for the 33-year-old. Santana has logged a 4.12 ERA, 6.68 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9 in 98 1/3 frames this year.
- It’s unclear if the Angels will make right-hander Matt Shoemaker available, though their stated unwillingness to rebuild makes it unlikely. The 29-year-old’s decent 4.08 ERA across 106 innings belies the dominance he has displayed since mid-May, when he rejoined the Halos after a minor league demotion. Going back to May 21, Shoemaker has amassed 88 strikeouts against nine walks in 76 1/3 frames. In his latest outing, he threw a complete game, 13-K shutout against the White Sox on Saturday. Adding to Shoemaker’s value is that he won’t make his first trip through arbitration until after the season, meaning he has four full years of team control left.
- Former big league skipper Ozzie Guillen, now a broadcaster for Latin American media outlets, would “absolutely” like another managerial job in the majors. Guillen hasn’t managed since Miami fired him in the wake of pro-Fidel Castro comments he made in 2012.
The Orioles and Royals, whom Santana previously pitched for
Never pitched for the Orioles
True. Orioles almost signed him though that is not the same as “pitched for.”
Question: why doesn’t Pablo Sandoval be the DH?
Didn’t hit well last year at only .245 then came in well overweight and looked horrible while losing his job in spring training plus he’ll be coming off of shoulder surgery. No way you can rely on him at this point. He could be a backup plan if they don’t get a big bat, but I think the Boston brass is fed up with him.
Probably cause he wasn’t hitting last time he did play. Not DH level anyway.
He is already the DE. Designated Eater.
Because Pablo Sandoval is a better defense player then Travis shaw and they need a slugger at DH
I’m assuming this was sarcasm because Sandoval is an absolutely atrocious defensive player. That’s the reason Shaw won the job this spring.
Definitely correct on needing a better hitter at DH than Sandoval though.
Pablo is not better than Shaw defensively. Theres not many things Pablo is better than anyone at, except competitive eating.
Is that a joke?
For one he isn’t a power hitter. For 2 he’ll probably be gone in this off season even if the Sox gotta pay most of his contract.
We are gonna sign Encarnacion you wait and see.
He is the most likely fit for this offense and for this team in general.
He has good numbers in Fenway and he is what a DH should look like.
Good question. Pablo could definitely be the DH but for two years now he has not lived up to his contract. He’s been on a steady decline since his breakout year.
If I were the Red Sox, I would not be putting my faith in Pablo revising him in 2017, especially if a great hitter like EE is on the market.
Don’t think we need to waste money Encarnacion, my Sox can just call up the next stud from our farm system in Rafael Devers. Why pay EE when we can get All Star play at the corners out of Devers and Shaw?
Lmao I was expecting this type of comment
I know you’re joking around with this account, but Devers won’t be up till 2018/2019 given his young age and relatively meager success to this point in A ball.
Much more likely that BoSox just buy a DH like Edwin or try to see if Panda can be less shitty next year than he was this year. Hopefully he turns his life around.
Devers is 19 years old and Shaw is good but not great. Get real kid!
Devers is still really Young probably won’t be a factor with the the big club until maybe 2018. Assuming Papi does indeed retire then the Sox are going to need a DH and Encarnacion would fit in nicely. He seems to like to hit in Fenway and he is a solid Run producer.
Not sure anouther righty bat to replace a lefty is the answer here guys and totally agree with others about proving your a HOFer in the majors… Not a hyped up minor leaguer guys and yes I’m a BoSox fan…let’s try to be alittle humble here
Also remember Devers got a very slow start out of the gate this year and is just now starting to hit A ball. I think he has that word everyone likes to use called potential, and is a switch hitter… Looks alot like Terry Pendleton if you want to comparison
Ok, seriously guy, I’m a die hard Sox fan, but you and everyone else need to stop with these comments about our prospects coming up and being HOF players, the only player on the Sox right now going to the HOF is Big Papi. Now that could change with Pedroia if he continues to hit as he has his whole career, but you never know. Betts, Bradley, and Bogaerts could go on to have great careers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be HOF material, it’s WAY too early to tell. And yes, Shaw is good, but he’s no all star (at least not yet), and Devers is only 19. You give all Red Sox fans a bad name by making these sorts of comments, and it’s getting to be very annoying.
Now on the article, I would love for Encarnacion to join the Sox next year, but I don’t think they should, because with Shaw and the prospects they have (Sam Travis, Devers, Moncada), if they want to give them a chance, they can’t bring him in and keep Hanley. If they bring in EE, they’d have to send out Hanley, move Shaw over to first and potentially platoon him with Sam Travis or however they want to do it if he’s even ready, and have Moncada at third if he’s ready,
I see them trading Devers, he is behind Moncada when it comes to third, and first base already has Shaw and Travis, though obviously he could out perform them, or they could be traded themselves, but again, he’s only 19 so you never know..
Another reason I don’t think the Sox should go after EE is… I think they should spend the $20M? elsewhere, say the rotation? bullpen? especially since Tazawa, Ziegler, and Uehara will all be FA after the season. The may also look at an upgrade at catcher with Vazquez struggling with the bat, even though I don’t see that as a huge problem, so long as he keeps up the defense. Swihart is still figuring things out (when he’s not injured), and Hanigan is a backup, pure and simple.
I also think the Sox should go for Santana. He has looked very good in recent starts, and if the Sox covered most, if not all of his salary, which is actually not that bad if he continues to have success, they could get away with sending a couple fringe prospects for him, but then again, I’m not the GM so I don’t know what his value is to each team, we can speculate all we want about deals, but different teams value different players differently.
Your right on the money! Thanks
If you think that a known PED user like Ortiz gets in the HOF you are just kidding yourself. Unfortunately for Big Papi, most of the writers voting on this are from outside of Boston. He won’t get a pass from them.
And your facts for this accusation are…?
From one Sox fan to another, you need to seriously slow your roll with all the “declarations of championships, with half a season to play
And forecasts of future HOF’ers that haven’t played above AA yet. You’re making us all look bad. We’re NOT all like this.
Well guys the man that really fits the bill and got hurt a AAA that doesn’t get the headlines is Sam Travis… Have bat will travel
Sox will lose Ortiz & A Hill. But still have 17 positional roster players available for 2017: Betts, Bradley, Young , Swihart, Holt, Pedroia, Boegarts, Hanley, Sandoval , Shaw, Vasquez, Leon, plus ML players ready for call ups– Benetendi, Moncada , Marco Hernandez, Sam Travis, Brentz.. I doubt that the owners will be looking to go over the luxury tax line a third year in a row when they can get under by letting Koji , Bucholtz & Hanigan go..
If u were a true fan of the game, then u would be realistic about your future premonitions of Sox glory, but you’re not. Be a real fan, be realistic, and just maybe people will take u seriously.
I’m at the Sea Dogs game right now and Dombrowski is sitting 1 section over from me. The usher said this is likely Moncada’s last game here. Don’t know if that means Pawtucket or Boston……
Thanks for the update, it also could be Bentendi moving on.
Could be. Lead off double for YM and AB doubled him in.
Gosh guys he has been a AA for all of two weeks… Benetidini is more likely
Santana to the Marlins, because a lesser return is all they’re capable of giving up.
Lead off double for Moncada. Benintendi hitting 3rd.
The Orioles have saved about $7mil this year by waiving/ trading Miguel Gonzalez and Brian Matuz, so I wonder if the Orioles and Twins can work something like this out.
Orioles get Ervin Santana
Twins get Ubaldo, Christian Walker, David Hess and $6mil cash to help offset some of Ubaldo’s contract.
With the Twins looking for a team to take on Santana’s $28million this may be as close as they can get while still getting a couple prospects in return. No way the O’s can take on Santana’s contract without getting rid of Ubaldo’s….
So 1.5 years of Ubaldo at $12.5mil vs 2.5years of Santana at $13.5mil plus the $6mil cash thrown in would save the Twins about $19mil.
Thoughts?
If anyone of those two moves up to Boston it would have to be Benentendi he is probably the most ready to contribute on the big club.
Have a question for Beane.. If he wanted Anderson Espinoza for just Rich Hill for just half a year (as reports came out he did). What exactly would he expect to exhort for BOTH Hill and Reddick packaged together? Anderson AND Benintendi?
Point is.. Beane has in the past generally been sensible to work with, this time? It seems like the opposite.
The Red Sox can’t afford to resign Hill? Give me a break, he’s been clearly superior to Pomeranz and he doesn’t have the innings concern this year. Hill has also proven himself in Boston, we will wait and see if Pomeranz can do the same.
I think Nick Cafardo should be signed as the next DH for the Red Sox.
Don’t trade shoebacca