In the wake of David Ortiz’s retirement, the Red Sox have some level of interest in free-agent slugger Carlos Beltran, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.
While Edwin Encarnacion has been an oft-speculated fit for the Sox, Beltran can be had on a shorter deal and won’t cost Boston a draft pick like Encarnacion would. He could also potentially see some time in the outfield corners on the rare instance that Mookie Betts needs a day off or should presumptive 2017 left fielder Andrew Benintendi require a day off. While Beltran’s glove certainly no longer rates as the plus asset it once did, the very fact that he can be inserted into the outfield a handful of times over the course of the season gives him an attribute that fellow DH candidates like Encarnacion and Kendrys Morales don’t possess (although the Royals did somewhat stunningly use Morales in right field for 37 innings during interleague play this past season).
The switch-hitting Beltran will play next season at the age of 40 but showed little sign of slowing down this past season. He didn’t perform as well with the Rangers as he did with the Yankees upon being traded to Texas midseason, but his aggregate offensive output was nonetheless terrific. In 593 plate appearances, Beltran slashed .295/.337/.513 with 29 home runs and 33 doubles. His walk rate did dip to 5.9 percent this season, but it was at 8.3 percent over the two previous seasons, and Beltran’s contact rate remains decidedly above average.
As Heyman notes in his column, Beltran is likely to be attainable on a one- or two-year deal. We predicted a one-year pact in our free agent predictions earlier on Monday evening, but if Beltran is already certain that he wishes to play beyond the 2017 season, then it stands to reason that he could find interest on a two-year deal with a slightly reduced annual rate.
do you think the Red Sox will go with Beltran or Encarnacion? Personally I’d like to see Edwin because of Beltrans age. Also what other moves do you see them doing this offseason?
I’d go for Beltran because encarnacion would cost much more money on a longer contract plus i think Hosmer is a free agent next year and i would want some $ to sign him
Hosmer was barely above replacement level last year
For some odd reason he’s labeled as a “great defender” too.
Ok wt Beltrant or Kendrys! Less $ and years add setupp men Holland plus a trade for Gray
I agree with everything except Hosmer wouldn’t tie up that type of $ on an first baseman without that great of a bat. I’d also like to see them take a run @ Holliday alot of positional versatility with him as well. Definitely alot of options that don’t require the length of deal or draft pick that ee would cost.
Beltran can SH.. they need a lefty in the already heavy hitting righty lineup… Kendrys is also a good choice… EE is going to want at least 5 years… don’t think we will do that
I’m not that obsessed with adding left or right being at fenway. as it is you have bradley benintendi, Leon, holt/Shaw for third and possible replacements of swihart and Pablo (please God no) if they return to health or proper weight. I would be obsessed if they intend to trade bradley.
Beltran… guys you leave the short porch in NY and I think your numbers drop anywhere you go!
@baseball1279 Can you explain what age has to do with it?
They need arms more than another bat. They still have Pablo who didn’t do anything for a couple years now but has some serious clutch moments under his belt
He has a lot more than that under his belt, which is why they need another hitter.
Guys I thought his belt broke already … lol
They were the best offense in the league last year and got swept. Sure another bat won’t hurt but pitching is what they need
As a sox fan I don’t feel one little bit like they’re signing Edwin. I don’t have a clue why they’d be interested in Beltran. They need a right handed power hitter for the monster. Edwin is perfect for that. Watch them sign Beltran then let him go back to Toronto…
Sorry but the Sox nedd a left hitter not a right handed bat! W have alot Hanley Betts Peddy Bogart!! W need Beltran or Kendrys
Agreed… just a note for all those Sweihart can’t catch Peckerwood’s .. DD announced that he is coming back as a catcher… and fix the pen , set up men in the 8th… please
Yeah bro you need to pay attention to the total lineup! A lot of rightys already
I think Edwin might be the player most made for Fenway in the game though. You’d have to keep your head up on the walkway behind Fenway every time he’s up
A-Gon was the most “Built for Fenway” player in recent memory. That swing was built to pepper the Monster,
Other kid that doesn’t seem to garner any attention is Dubon… played great SS last year all the way up the ladder with Bentendini and Moncada… guys he is playing centerfield in the Arizona fall league
I want them to strike a deal for Freddy Freeman and put Hanley at DH.
I like that it’s to bad the braves won’t trade him or at least they will ask for betts, bogarts, Moncada and groome
And are you prepared for the Sox to give up probably two of JBJ/Devers/Moncada/other top prospects? If they weren’t willing to give those guys up for Sale, I don’t see them giving them up for Freeman.
I think that carlos is a bad Idea, get Edwin
Signing a 40 year is too risky, imo.
Why is it “risky”?
I feel like signing a 34 year old to a 5 year contract or so as a dh is way more risky something you wouldn’t even do for David Ortiz. A 40 year old on a 1 or two years not that bad if he ages you let him walk little or no strings and get a new bat next year in that free agency.
Feel like Beltran is a lock for KC
Wouldn’t they just resign morales if that was the case younger and probably similar contract.
Would’ve pegged Bautista as a logical Sox DH target if he hadn’t been extended a QO, but needing a left handed bat, one year deal for Beltran, then let Hanley shift to DH and maybe Sam Travis gets some at bats at first
OK, let’s play…I spent 10-15 mins on Baseball Reference to find out if this is viable knowing the Red Sox need power not another line drive hitter
Beltran isn’t a HR guy to LF from either side of the plate; the numbers below are part of his 10582 plate appearances & 421 HR…he doesn’t appear to go to LF often.
Career::Pulling as RHB – 839 Plate appearances – .471 BA, 1.393 OPS, 88 HR
Career Opposite as LHB – 769 PA – .331/.838, 18 HR
2016 Pull RHB – 40 PA – .525/1.750, 7 HR
2016 Opp LHB – 47 PA – .391/.948, 1 HR
2015 Pull RHB – 34 PA – .361/1.020 ,2 HR
2015 Opp LHB – 39 PA – .421/1.075, 2 HR
2014 Pull RHB – 43 PA – .372/1.140, 3 HR
2014 Opp LHB – 27 PA – .385/.986, 0 HR
He does hit fly balls to LF when he hits homeruns; 57 of 72 fly ball HR to LF since 2007 (prior to ’07 Baseball Reference dosen’t always have direction of HR). As we know line drives to LF at Fenway are not usually homeruns.
Also, on Sandoval…the attitude toward him going into 2017 is similar to the attitude people had toward Lackey going into 2013.
The sandoval thing i hear reference to hanley or lackey the difference is he doesn’t have the career numbers prior to the injury that either of them had outside of 1 year and a playoff series he’s been pretty terrible. Unless everything has always been about weight and he’s truly in the best shape of his life than but I highly doubt it.
That wall is only 310ft away and the RF wall starts at 301ft. Hard line drives and fly balls become HR’s and doubles pretty quickly in Fenway.
I’m okay with Beltran for like 7 million and if we’re not looking for him to be a centerpiece (maybe 250 at-bats), but if they’re thinking of making him full-time DH, forget that. He’s still got some pop left, but not someone we should be counting on. I honestly think EE could put up 45/130 in that lineup if they wanted to spend the money. Either way, I don’t think it’s a requirement to add a big hitter. Pitching is obviously still one of our weaker spots and there will be some stud offensive free agents in the coming years. Lot of options however you look at it.
Why only 250AB? He was tied for 11th in doubles and 17th in slugging and OPS. With a shallow LF and RF his bat still should play very well, plus by taking him out of the field he should also be able to keep his legs under him and log a few more at bats. He was still good for a 2WAR this year and that was with his horrible defense. EE put up big paper numbers, but his peripherals were down across the board, some being his lowest in 4-5 years and he’s still going to be 34 at the start of the year. I’d rather the risk of a short 1-2 year contract with Beltran than a 4-5 year deal with EE.
Plus no draft compensation. Similar ops obp (at least not enough to warrant the financial differences) and the option to not tie up the dh spot for any future additional moves like next year’s free agency were u could go after something more pressing like a starter.
I’m not saying it has to be one or the other, but I get the feeling they will hand him 12-15 million and expect too much, which will only hold back the offense. I love Beltran, but he’s 40, his numbers dropped considerably in the second half, and he was far worse away from Yankee Stadium and Arlington. Fenway is a hitter’s park, but I just don’t see him as the kind of boost to the everyday offense they would be expecting and would be more beneficial as a veteran part-timer similar to Ichiro. I know his 2016 numbers seem to indicate he has plenty left, but decline is inevitable and I see this being a declining year.