The Red Sox have announced that they’ve signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year contract. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal was first to tweet news of the deal. Moreland will receive $5.5MM, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi tweets. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the two sides were in talks. Moreland is represented by RMG Baseball.
[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]
Moreland hit a disappointing .233/.298/.422 with 22 home runs in 2016 and has been inconsistent in his seven years in the big leagues, although his .278/.330/.482 season in 2015 shows what he’s capable of in a good year. He’s also a capable defender at first base, with a 6.4 UZR and 7 DRS there last season, and he’s capable of playing corner outfield in a pinch. The 31-year-old Moreland has hit .254/.315/.438 with 110 home runs in a big-league career spent entirely with the Rangers.
The deal caps what’s been a huge day for the Red Sox, who have also acquired Tyler Thornburg and, more notably, Chris Sale. Moreland should provide Boston with help at the first base and DH spots, likely in tandem with a right-handed hitter — he’s batted just .240/.275/.398 against lefties in his career. The Red Sox need help at DH following the retirement of David Ortiz, and Moreland would seem to be at least a hedge against the possibility that they’ll acquire a higher-profile player, like Edwin Encarnacion (who they seemed unlikely to sign anyway, in part due to luxury-tax concerns) or Mike Napoli. In fact, with Hanley Ramirez also in tow, Moreland’s signing but all but shut those doors. The team also recently lost Travis Shaw in the trade that brought Thornburg to Boston, and Moreland will replace some of the at-bats the lefty-swinging Shaw took at first base. It would appear, then, that the Red Sox are attempting to compensate for Ortiz’s departure by strengthening their rotation, rather than by adding a superstar to replace him at DH or first base.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Meh
sure….nothing to be excited about. Mitch is a streaky player with a good glove who doesn’t hit lefties all that well but doesn’t crush RHP, either. But he’s cheap and should work out well for the BoSox in a limited role. Just don’t play him in Sept and he’ll be fine 🙂
No worries. By Labor Day the team will be so far out of it, with Hanley and Pablo taking time off in the Cape as they back stab and second guess Farrell.
Because that’s what happened this year…when Hanley had his best season in several and Panda wasn’t around, right?
Wondering who they will target for a platoon partner…
Hanley….
My opinion, he’ll play about 120 games \- a few splitting between 1st and DH. Hanley is strictly 1st and DH. The Moreland sign is to give Hanley resting days and mash RHP when necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.
Already have him. It’s Hanley Ramirez.
Chris young will probably DH vs lefties
Panda!!
Easy … righty Sam Travis
OK someone get Dombrowski his valium … he’s done about enough now.
Have prospects, will trade!!
Eh….
At least it’s only a one year deal, because Moreland is a terrible fit for this team. Lefties have to be able to go oppo at Fenway, and he only had a .700 OPS against righties last season. Sure, he’s good at defense but that’s not how you replace David Ortiz.
You don’t need to “replace” Ortiz because honestly you can’t. They bolstered pitching in a huge way today and the remainder of the offense will score enough runs for this team to win 100 games.
And get swept in the playoffs again because their rotation is still not proven in the postseason?
The Indians beat the Red Sox without much of a rotation at all … much less a ‘proven’ rotation. The whole proven thing isn’t really a thing.
A narrative based on less than nothing.
Agreed. Are we rushing to conclude that Trevor Bauer, Josh Tomlin, Ryan Merrill are proven postseason pe
That got cut off for whatever reason. Meant to say: postseason performers? Would you rather trust one of those three, say in Game 7 of the World Series, or one of Sale/Price/Porcello?
You have to try to fill the some of the void of his offense somehow, and there were unquestionably better options out there than Moreland that wouldn’t break the bank. Mike Napoli and Brandon Moss come to mind.
Brandon Moss hit .225 in 2016 and .226 in 2015. No thanks.
And Napoli is too much of a risk. I remember 2015 and his .207 BA with Boston, when they traded him at the deadline and go *drumroll please* Josh Rutledge for him. Plus, he is a righty and the Sox need some lefty bats. Moreland will do just fine, and its a 1 year commitment.
Red Sox got Rutledge for victorino
Remember you have a very fast OF that we’re not together 25% of the season… they are tight
Not sure where you got that info from…but…of Mitch Moreland’s 633 hits, 68% have gone up middle, or to left field
Where is Hanley going to go
probably 3rd sometimes and other times platoon
DH? Maybe Moreland plays some DH?
Moreland is a gold glove first baseman and an extremely streaky hitter. That wouldn’t make much sense
Then Moreland at 1B and Ramirez at DH. Note I said “some DH” as in, from time to time.
They both can split 1B and DH
1b against lefties because moreland can’t hit lefties dh the rest of the time god I hate this move this is the red sox lineup now
1.pedroia rh
2.Xander rh
3.mookie rh
4.hanley rh
5.jbj lh
6. Benintendi lh
7.moreland lh (except when lh starts)
8.catcher sh
9.3b Pablo or holt
Someone please explain how that lineup is better than having any one of the rh options you still run into the issue of 5 lh and 4 rh in a row I can’t stand this move way better options on short term deals if anything a rh would break up the continuous same handedness
Because that definitely won’t be there line up
So for handedness you’re going to move the top 4 hitters down? I don’t like it they could’ve done better by not doing anything else today and waiting out the market that sounds better than trying to get a 1b who has one season in the last 3 with an ops above 720 when you already have hanley.
Likely that Hanley DH’s against righties when Moreland plays first. And then Hanley plays first against most lefties.
DH obviously
David Dombrowski decides to work for one day?
Settle down haters. I got this.
Nice.
DD is a hard working man
Hanley will not see any time at 3rd. It’s likely, atleast with the way the current roster is, that Chris Young DH’s against lefties with Hanley manning 1B. Moreland can play 1B against righties with Hanley as your DH
Took the words out of my mouth.
BoSox busy today! Decent signing on their part. He can provide solid defense at first, but can be a streaky hitter.
Extremely streaky hitter. More times it’s bad streaks versus getting hot.
Any possibility the plan is to play Ramirez at 3B next year?
If that’s the case I don’t hate the deal as much.
NO
Possibly; I hope the use holt at 3rd at lot
Very very unlikely Hanley plays any third next year. Holt and Sandoval can suffice.
No he plays 1st against lhp with young dh and dh against rhp with moreland at 1st
Seems like a good move. Moreland is the best defensive 1B in the game and he will play every day against Right Handed pitching while Hanley moves over to 1B against lefties and someone else takes over the DH spot in those games (Chris young probably or Swihart/someone who needs a day off in the field). Overall seems to set up a platoon between Moreland and Young. Also can’t undervalue the meaning of this move defensively as the left side of the infield (Sandoval/Holt and Boegarts, Not to mention an aging Pedroia) is not great defensively and having Hanley at 1st wouldn’t help matters.
Pedroia is still gold glove caliber, he is still an elite defensive second baseman. Bogaerts is abover aberage at worst. 3rd base is a question mark ill give you that.
I agree that Pedroia was a gold glove caliber 2b last year but he’s aging (which is all i said) and 2b don’t typically age well defensively (he could be the exception to the rule, though). Over the last 3 seasons Boegarts has averaged a negative UZR/150 (including last year) which indicates that he is average to below average at D and I don’t see him getting any better at it.
To be fair, everybody’s aging. I just got older while writing this.
Hanley will stay at 1B, with Moreland getting a spot start. Moreland will be the primary DH against righties, Swihart will be the primary DH against lefties
Young?
why would they put moreland at DH when he’s significantly superior if not the best first baseman in the game.
Only thing left to do is to trade Bucholtz for a couple minor leaguers so the Red Sox don’t go over the luxury tax
I think its more likely they trade a lefty. Pomeranz probably.
Hanley probably first base against lefties and DH against righties. Moreland won’t face left-handed pitchers. Young can DH against lefties. Benintendi will probably face both so no platoon option for Young in left. That’s the best plan. Easy and puts your best platoon parts in play.
Love that DD was able to acquire such talent in Thornburg, Sale, and Moreland to help fill holes in lineup, bullpen and strengthen the rotation.!
Having the depth that Cherington/Hazen build up really helped enable sox to be able to make these types of moves!
they better get a 3b. Sandoval is a joke.
If anyone saw the picture of the slim Sandoval, we may not have to worry too much about 3B next year, the picture I saw was unbelievable. Plus we still have Devers to eventually take over. The Moncada/Shaw trades are starting to make sense imo
Guys Devers is only at high A… ways to go
Lets keep it all in prespective, the Cubs have a 50.5WAR and the Sox are at 45.5 WAR. and the Cubs almost lost to 43.4 WAR team. There are still 10 teams in the mix without any other moves. Nobody picked the Indians to beat the Sox last year. This is what I saw on John Farrells and Dombrowski’s face. The pressure is on, and hope their are no injuries.
here’s my potential lineup for 2017
Pedroia, Betts Xander, Hanley, Sandoval, Moreland, JBJ, Leon, Benintendi.
That just looks wrong without Orriz penciled in there somewhere.
R. Pedroia 2B
L. Benintendi LF
R. Betts RF
R Ramirez DH
R. Bogaerts SS
S. Sandoval 3B
L. Moreland 1B
S. Leon C
L. Bradley JR. CF
L. Holt UTL
R. Young OF
R. Vazquez C
– enter name here
One things for sure, there’s a lot of gold gloves on defence and extra base hits with the sticks. Not a lot of power though.
This makes no sense. Do they honestly expect Sandoval to play 150 games at 3B? I thought Boston was trying to stay under the luxury tax limit of $195MM?
Guys, we had Dave D for over a decade and he knows what he is doing. His track record is outstanding and he wins 75% to 80% of the deals he does. Moncada had no real position so to get Sale, you had ti give up at least two Blue Chips. Sale for 3 years is simply the best pitcher at the cheapest price. Even with the 31 million he threw in, its cheap by todays escalating salaries. If you aren’t in the running in year 3 deadline or you don’t think you can resign him, you can flip him for a top prospect like Yankees did with Chapman. You guys had a great day so enjoy it!
He put Detroit in SUCH a great spot. I mean, he didn’t sign half their team to ridiculous contracts. And he left Detroit with a stellar farm system and tons of young talent.
Oh wait, we’re talking about Dombrowski…
But he did get results.
Sure we didn’t win a WS, but we got to two, got multiple playoff appearances and now we’re in a rebuild
And it’s not like we have a crap farm system.
Joey Pankake, Grayson Griener, Mike Gerber, Hill, Ravenelle, and especially Jimenez are all underrated prospects
“Rebuild”? No. You don’t rebuild if you have a contender. You’re a few years ahead of yourself and maybe not even then.
you have like the second or third worst farm systems in baseball…
Detroit has very few prospects but the system itself is very good. So long as they’re fielding a contender, they’re not going to be drafting very high.
Virtually all MLB contracts are ridiculous, so what’s your point?
Ridiculous is obviously in comparison to the rest of baseball.
How the Sox should shake up so far (IMO)
LINEUP
1. Pedroia (2b)
2. Betts (RF)
3. Bradley Jr. (CF)
4. Ramirez (DH vs. RHP and 1B vs. LHP)
5. Boegarts (SS)
6. Benintendi (LF)
7. Moreland (1b vs. RHP), Young (DH vs. LHP)
8. Leon (C)
9. Holt (3b)
STARTERS
1. Sale
2. Porcello
3. Price
4. Wright
5. Pomeranz/Rodriguez (One in rotation, One in Swingman position)
BULLPEN
CP Kimbrel
RightySU Thornburg
LeftySU Ross Jr.
ShortR Barnes
MidR Hembree
LongR Buchholz
Swingman Pomeranz/Rodriguez (One in rotation, One in Swingman position)
BENCH
Moreland/Young (Platoon vs. RHP and LHP, respectively)
Sandoval
Swihart/Vazquez (Whoever takes the backup C job, I would take Swihart)
Hernandez
You forgot Carson smith !
Lucky to see him by end of Aug…. sept call up more then likely
They are saying mid June for Smith
JBJ will never hit third. That is my prediction.
JBJ hitting third? More like 7,8,9.
You forgot Carson Smith and Steven Wright .
Steven Wright is the 4th starter. And I didn’t include Smith because I wasn’t sure if he’d be ready by spring.
Sox Lineup will be
Pedroia (R)
Benintendi (L)
Betts (R)
Ramirez (R)
Bradley Jr (L)
Bogaerts (R)
Sandoval (S)
Moreland (L)
Swihart (S)
Swihart has an option left so he starts at AAA to work on his D. This works well with the new 10 day DL which allows them to spell Leon or Vaz with any minor injuries.
They also have Sam Travis at AAA if an OF gets hurt, Young plays OF and Travis platoons with Moreland with Holt as 4th OF. If Panda is bad they can make a trade or use a Holt/Hernandez platoon at 3B.
They also have Abad and Workman with no options left.
Abad will be given a chance in the spring so if he pitches well he’ll need to be one of the lefty relievers or traded, because as you said he’s out of options. With regard to Workman depending on how he comes back from TJ he’ll most likely stay in the minors until he’s ready to go back up to Boston. He still has 2 minor league options left, no problem (check soxprospects.com and/or rosterresource.com for info.).
Why though?
What about Kelly he’s done pretty well in the pen
I was really hoping the Sox would pick up Pedro Alvarez for DH duties. Then again, Moreland is also a lefty, and he can actually play defense. I can see why they went this route. I just don’t like Mookie, Pedroia, Bogaerts, and Hanley going four righties straight.
Let’s face it, for 5.5 million (for a team like the Sox) this is a no-brainer. Mooreland can be very effective. Saves them from going after the big buck guys, and they still have farm system fire power on July 31.
Give DD a cookie; pretty good day today….
Good point about the farm. Sam Travis hit .272 / .332 / .434 in AAA last season before he got injured. Plus, he is a lefty!
Sam Travis bats R.
The biggest question is why didn’t the Rangers resign him at this price?
Because they can do better.
I don’t know how much better are team got today because they still have a picture that makes 30 million that can’t pitch in the postseason and now a fatA*^ for a 3rd basemen because he traded away the only other ones that are ready
Price is not a playoff liability except in the minds of the fans, especially not as a #3 starter. Also, google Pablo Sandoval. A photo came out of him today and he looks legitimately in shape!
Bro Sandoval is not a fat ass like in the beginning of the season the guy is in shape and dedicated to play third base again and don’t forget about Brock holt
Holt is always injured and I don’t care if Pablo has lost a lot of weight he’s still garbage. They now have to big holes at 3rd and DH and I’m personally not sold on any of there catchers
Since you don’t know any of that, why did you say it?
How can you possibly say this team isnt any better today? Wake up. Stop listening to Felger and Mazz.
DD gives away too many prospects in his deals.
We need a catcher that can drive in some runs. The team is solid, but not in a position to concede any offense in any of the spots in the lineup. I’d like to see them sign Wellington Castillo.
I really like what they did today. Moreland at 5.5 is an incredible bargain relative to what the Yankees paid for Holliday or what the Astros paid for Beltran…………and Moreland brings a great glove with him.
The difference is those guys can hit that’s why they got paid more.
Moreland = Zilch.
Dont know why you guys are saying hanley to 3B that is nonsense. I dont knoe if you realize but panda lost about 70 lbs so he should be back in his former self (lets hope) and hanley played a good first base last year. The moreland signing is simply mutch similar to the chris young signing of last year he is a platoon he will probably dh against righties but young will get the lefties. Even against righties you may see hanley at dh with moreland at first because again hanley expressed desire to play first and dh
I would liken that if moreland could hit he can’t even against rh outside of 2015 in the last 4 years he has hit above 260 against rh once so there’s a 50 50 shot he gives you average production essentially from the dh spot because you already had a capable 1b. I’d have been just as happy putting swihart as your dh
2017 Red Sox 25 man roster.
1B) M. Moreland
2B) D. Pedroia
SS) X. Bogaerts
3B) P. Sandoval
C) S. Leon
LF) A. Benintendi
CF) J. Bradley Jr.
RF) M. Betts
DH) H. Ramirez
Bench) Young / Vazquez / Holt / Marrero
SP) D. Price
SP) R. Porcello
SP) C. Sale
SP) C, Buchholz
SP) E. Rodriguez
RP) C. Kimbrel
RP) T. Thornburg
RP) J. Kelly
RP) D. Pomeranz
RP) R. Ross Jr.
RP) F. Abad / Barnes / Hembree / Ramirez
RP) S. Wright
RP) C. Smith (will be on DL)
Question… did they gain more than they lost?
Lost: Ortiz / Shaw / Rutledge / Moncada on offense.
Gained: Moreland / Sandoval
Lost: Uehara / Tazawa / Ziegler in Pitching.
Gained: Thornburg / Sale
I Love Sale…. but on This Red Sox Team that already had Price / Porcello / Pomeranz / Wright / E-Rod / Buchholz and Owens surely didn’t need Sale, and how many more wins will get in replacing the one now out of the rotation (Pomeranz most likely)
IMO – They should have looked to replacing Ortiz’s 38 HR and 127 RBI – Moreland won’t cut it, and now Betts will be walked a lot more and everyone else in the line-up now takes a hit on their 2016’s numbers.
Sale can only help 1x per week. I would have kept Moncada and the other prospects.
If it gets the Red Sox a WS win, then and only then will this trade ever be considered a “win”
I have two points that just crossed my mind.
1. Big Papi is thinking he may return at some point in 2017.
2. We need a quality left handed reliever.
Thoughts!
They have faith in don’t ask me why Abad but ross is OK as a lefty.
Ortiz coming back would be amazing offer him whatever he wants $ wise.
They didn’t lose Moncada’s offense. There was about a 0% chance he was going to make the roster since he needs quite a bit more time in the minors so he can learn how to hit a curveball. I don’t see him making an mlb roster till 2018.
If Pablo’s weight shed helps him with his offense and defense, he’s already a bigger gain than Shaws loss. Shaw started off well last year but went by the by after a while and just stayed there.
Moreland isn’t a bad signing. Hanley is pretty fragile so if they slot him into the DH role and alternate him into 1B every so often to rest Moreland, or just alternate the two of them enough to where they aren’t huge injury threats, it’ll end up working out for the better.
I’m not sad to lose Uehara or Taz. Taz fell to pieces, and Uehara is playing on borrowed time. He’s not worth the money he’d most likely want. I am sorry to see Ziegler go. He was fantastic for them. I can only hope that Thornburg fills his shoes nicely. We’ll see.
Gaining Sale is great, though as with any pitcher coming to Fenway, I worry how he’ll do when he plays half the season there. Regardless, he’s much needed. I just wonder what they’ll do with their surplus, as they now technically have 7 starters if you still count Buchholz as one.
As far as replacing Papi’s numbers…you can’t. Not unless you shoot the luxury cap to hell. Edwin would have been great. He could have led the majors in HR’s as a Red Sox just because of how easy it would have been for him to send moon shots over the monster, but at the end of the day the Sox can’t afford that kind of a contract. Between Price, Porcello, Pedroia, Rameriez, Sandoval, Kimbrel, Sale, and Buchholz, they have roughly 144 million wrapped up out of a 195m ceiling.
After Sale, Price and Porcello, who are the number 4 and 5 starting pitches and which pitcher gets traded and for what?
I don’t get what basically turned into Shaw for Moreland and a bigger contract. Not exactly sure what Shaw was being paid but I know it wasn’t 5.5mil and you got about same player in return. seems a little strange. I can see a little better player in some way with Moreland but not 5mil worth for what you got.
Who thinks the Red Sox should sign EE and Chapman and hope that Papi comes out of retirement for one more season?
I hope they go after Abreu from the wSox.but I think they will make a run after EE as well, my guess is they will go after a big bat as well,
Lot of difference in opinion about whether the Red Sox get rid of Bucholtz or Pomeranz. The big difference–getting rid of Bucholtz gets you back under the luxury tax. Getting rid of Pomeranz won’t.
Maybe both but most likely Buchholz gets traded to save the $ and pomeranz is depth option injuries happen just ask the Dodgers lol
Panda is in fantastic shape, he will easily be the 3rd baseman next year. HanRam will DH most of the time, he swatted the ball when he was in that role, might as well go with it. So first base is open to a great defensive player who won a gold glove. Moreland can platoon or stay there, it doesn’t matter. They needed a lefty who can punch some HRs.