The Red Sox hope Jeter Downs can be the guy to take over second base in the future, but the 22-year-old is likely to begin 2021 in Triple-A. He had just 12 games under his belt at the Double-A level before coronavirus canceled the 2020 season. In the meantime, Yairo Munoz and Christian Arroyo both could earn time at the keystone, but the Red Sox want that pair to earn their opportunities. Otherwise, Michael Chavis looks like the incumbent, despite being a natural corner infielder.
Hence, they’ve keyed in on second baseman in free agency, exploring deals with Enrique Hernandez, Kolten Wong, Cesar Hernandez, and Dee Strange-Gordon, though no deal appears imminent. Marwin Gonzalez could be an appealing option because of his versatility, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (Twitter links). Gonzalez has a history with Red Sox manager Alex Cora from their days in Houston, though that’s not a time period either side likely wants to highlight. Outside of Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, however, the rest of the Boston infield is still auditioning for full-time reps, so they may prefer to add a versatile glove that can function in a number of potential roster iterations.
Elsewise, Boston continues to look for arms to add to the rotation mix. Garrett Richards and Matt Moore are two names they’ve looked into recently, per Cotillo. Richards will make sense on a lot of teams now that he appears fully recovered from Tommy John surgery. He posted a 4.03 ERA/4.28 FIP in 51 1/3 innings for the Padres in 2020, with 10 starts, a 21.6 percent strikeout rate, 8.0 percent walk rate, and 40.1 percent groundball rate.
Moore would be a more surprising candidate, having registered just 10 innings since 2019. The 31-year-old southpaw played in Japan last season, logging a 2.65 ERA across 85 innings.
Of course, Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom goes way back with Moore. Their careers mirrored each other in many ways as both worked their way through the Rays’ organization. Bloom was just into the beginning of his career in the Rays’ front office when Tampa drafted Moore in the 2007 draft. Bloom was then the Assistant Director of Minor League Operations as Moore made his way through the organization. In 2011, Moore made his big league debut while Bloom was promoted to Director of Baseball Operations.
What would it cost for dodgers to acquire bogaerts next summer should seager leave via free agency?
Anyone good who is making under $3M/yr and is controllable for 3+ seasons.
I think they would rather give Seager the cash it would take to keep him then give up the prospect capital and pay Bogaerts
why tf would the dodgers want to give up anything of value for Xander when they can sign any free agent shortstop during the next off-season. And why on earth would the bosox want to give up Xander on a team friendly deal.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. As a Sox fan ain’t no way they gonna give up Bogey. He is a team favorite and that’s not gonna happen especially for the price we signed him for.
Don’t ever underestimate Bloom. If he can get a decent shortstop for less than what Bogaerts is making Xander will be as good as gone. There is a reason they appear to be in on Semien. If he will take 1-2 million per year less than Bogaerts then look out.
His bat is his value. He will have to come off SS sooner than later.
Xander has a full no trade clause so he would have to agree to be traded. It wouldn’t just be up to Bloom.
Xander is untouchable. He’s got 6 years under contract at a very affordable price for his output and also happens to be in the midst of his prime. They might listen to offers on JD Eovaldi or Sale if he comes back strong but ERod Xander Raffy and Verdugo aren’t going anywhere
Xander can opt out after the 2022 season. He will probably exercise that option if he continues to play the way he has so potentially Boston could lose him after the 2022 season. This opt out would also hurt his value somewhat in a trade unless he waived it. I do agree Bogey isn’t going anywhere until potentially after the 2022 season when my guess he opts out.
Bogs can bolt after 22 on his team friendly deal and get a bigger one being he’ll only be 30 at the time if he wants –
I dont expect that tho, Bostons payroll beyond 22 is spotless, more likely they re-hash a new extension contract at that time-
Og poster- No bones to that trade, I agree with rest Bogs going nowhere. Dodgers should just let 21 play out and enter the off season market top of the hill with multiple options/ directions to maneuver and really more payroll with play with than the past couple seasons if no extensions are handed out this year
Might listen to offers???? lmaoo they would trade JD and Eovaldi for a bucket of baseballs and a box of big league chew if they had the chance to remove those contracts off their books.
@Jacob – Erod is leaving in FA. Henry spilled super glue on the wallet so bloom can’t get to daddy’s credit cards and sign anyone.
Untouchable is a word too often thrown around. Knowing Bogarts team friendly deal vs his performance with teams looking to upgrade under big financial constraints who knows what a team might offer. It’s also really just a two year rental because if he keeps it up he’s opting out. Almost any player can be had for the right price
Keep dreaming.
Here we go again for recycled Tampa players.
I chalk that up to lazy reporting. Just because someone was with TB when Bloom was there some of these reporters think that they are obvious targets by the Sox now.
It is one of the most ridiculous themes I’ve ever heard. Next up, Bloom is going to sign Mrs. Sanders because she was his babysitter 100 years ago. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work that way.
Reminds me of Dan Duquette’s fascination with Expos players in the 90s.
Pedro Martinez: good
Wil Cordero: not so good
Wow. Was hoping to see Odorizzi, Rosenthal, Colome, etc…in here. Instead we see Matt Moore? Sox are really trying to become TB North after all. Xander might opt out after 2022 if they keep going in this direction.
Yeah Dorothy I’m feeling you. I think the Sox are going cheap this year and hopefully spending next year?? But this dumpster diving is rough especially when they are a big market team pretending to be Tampa North. I wonder how much of that is Sox ownership?
It’s weird.
I thought the red sox were going to take their lumps in ’20 & then come back with a vengeance this year.
We’ve seen them do that in recent off-seasons.
The Yanks & sox need to be paying CBT fines for the good of baseball.
Perez is something. He can give the team 125-150 innings at the back of the rotation. Don’t forget ERod and Sale hopefully throw around 100 innings and Houck continues to be a #3-4.
I see no reason to throw away 40m on Odorizzi, who IMO isn’t any better than a #3. Try and sign Walker at around 8-10m for a year, or 2/20m if want a solid veteran. Another back end hopeful? Shoemaker fills that 1 and would probably be dirt cheap. Richards scares me, always hurt.
Richards is the one with the best stuff, though. Ya know?
Maddening isn’t it? GM’s must spend so much time staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping.
I wouldn’t sweat the Matt Moore stuff. I didn’t even know he was still in baseball. There is always a chance they could sign him to a minor league depth contract, but I doubt it would be more than that.
I think he opts out regardless. Has on a “team friendly deal”. Barring an injury or drop in production he’s only with the Red Sox if they resign him after he opts out. He’ll be 30 that’s the typical cash in year. He plays out that deal he’s in his mid 30’s and no longer term lucrative contract
I love watching this team play poor. They have one of the highest ticket prices in MLB and think they can keep running out a scrap heap team and will just continue to fork over our hard earned cash. Screw them … this GM sucks and these owners are ripping us off!
You & me & everyone else will continue to fork over cash.
They’re rebuilding. Take it easy.
Seriously. The Red Sox are the most successful club in MLB this century. Did you expect there wouldn’t need to be a time of restocking between some of that success?
Matt Moore being just 31 is the only piece of info in this article that i will remember. Idk who else feels the same way. I remember thinking that guy was going to be a superstar.
if he will take a minor league deal Moore is worth a ST invite. At least the guy WAS good at one time unlike the 10-12 SCRUBS that Bloom has signed the past 18 months or so-Perez aside.
This is a mini re-build for the next 2 years till the books get wiped – It seems a lot of RS fans dont want to see that but I think they know deep down. I think its the right move as well and they will be fine to start 23 with a whole new look
I really think the 1 move they should make is Sale to LAA for Upton +prospects- Uptons contract dissolves right in time with the RS plans and you actually get value on Sale rather than have to kick in to get him off the books for 4 yrs-
Im not a Sale believer obv, and getting outta that contract would be my first task as GM – Angels arent in a position to not gamble, especially if they can get off Upton in the process; think theirs solid bones there for a deal considering both’s time arcs
Rebuild contains the word ‘build’… and that’s something bloom just hasn’t been doing.
When bloom was hired the rotation could use a slight bolster, possibly a one arm tweak, a HOF player, best developed by Boston in a generation needed to be re-signed, they needed a utility guy, and the relief corps needed a little boost. The team core was a WS winner one season prior, and had a mismanaged ST that cost them out of the gate. After about 5-6 weeks they won at a clip with some of the best in MLB, just had injury trouble and threw in the towel.
In 2 offseasons none of the deficiencies were addressed. As we stand, control of a strong core most teams.would build around have been squandered for nothing, and the 1sr draft pick was busted on a player taken waaaay ahead of his expectations.
OF is worse. IF is a wreck except for bogey. SP is worse then before with no new prospects to improve it. RP is a dumpster fire.
A full season was spent grabbing literal garbage off the trash heap, throwing them in for a game, then releasing them as they showed they stunk as bad as expected based on prior performance.
You can’t call it a ‘rebuild’ as the building blocks just aren’t being acquired.
You can’t call it ‘treading water’ because the team isn’t maintaining is competitive level, it’s sinking.
Call it what it is – an inept GM who rode the coattails of others in the TB office but doesn’t have what it takes to manage one of MLBs elite franchises with legit resources.
GA – blah blah blah
It’s a rebuild. This is how rebuilds work.
I dont think its all that GA –
I just think the plan is to start investing (and very heavily) in 2023 not 2021 –
Most of all the damage is gone after 22…. With the current staff I think they just felt it was too much of an uphill battle to become a 90+ win team so they are entering a mini 2 yr re-build –
I think this call was probably settled upon in the months/weeks preceding the Mookie trade; we are just seeing the follow up actions (or lack thereof) now. I think they have a plan, agree with the plan, and so far have executed it just fine
Just my thoughts, a lot of Bos fans disagree, which is fine
Or an inept GM simply following orders from a suddenly cheap owner watching the bottom line. Me thinks this is the real issue. Bloom can’t be this dumb to think signing these type guys would help.
You make some great points about the 1st rd pick and the scrubs we signed. I could not agree more.
I thought the books were already wiped clean after the last place finish in 2020?? Guess I was wrong. I won’t be renewing my MLB TV this year to watch another garbage Red Sox team.
While I’m not excited about what Boston has done this offseason it’s not like it wasn’t a distinct possibility.
This years free agent market is underwhelming next years is much better. This was always possible that Boston would pick around the periphery this year and setup a real push next offseason. Next offseason we will know a lot more about Sale and Erod. Will Erod be an extension candidate or do you let him walk after the season. How does the farm look and is there legit prospect help coming. There are a lot of questions with this Red Sox team that need to be answered it’s obvious that next offseason should be a lot better and hopefully Bloom will participate fully in next years offseason. If they don’t then I will start to have a problem with the direction of this ownership and Bloom. I will wait until after next offseason to start making any judgements.
This doesn’t mean it wouldn’t of been fun to see Boston sign Kluber, Richards, couple of bullpen arms, and JBJ and tried to rebound. Hopefully Erod and Sale come back healthy and the Red Sox can surprise.
If the game was justified and people were held responsible for their actions, Marwin Gonzalez and George Springer should go unsigned.
If the game wants to blackball people from the HOF then they should do it with free agency too, only fair. After all, the Astros cheated worse than Pete Rose and the Black Sox combined.
This is a Red Sox team that rehired Alex Cora. They don’t care
Did you read the Dowd report on Charlie hustle? I would encourage everyone to read that. It’s an eye opener.
Trying to build a mediocre team. That takes talent.
The rumors could be true. I saw Marwin G. and Cora shopping at Home Depot…..one was carrying some trash can lids for some reason….
I’m kinda of surprised we haven’t heard more about Garrett Richards so far. He has nasty stuff and could be a good starter at a decent price for a lot of teams.
Ditto… he’d be a perfect low key signing for Bos but Id like to see a team like the Twins/Mets/Tor step up a bit here-
The fact a Sd reunion rumors haven’t really popped up has me wondering about overall health tho….these things dont get past the insiders as well so its kind of a residual affect
Downs better live up to the hype. He was a key piece in the Mookie deal. If I was Boston I would of demanded Lux instead.
Actually Downs was Plan B when Graterol failed his physical.
And no way were they getting Lux for 1 year of Betts at $25million.. Be happy they got Verdugo.
When that all started, I said Verdugo straight-up for Betts was fair. I expected more and we got more. If Downs is half the player Verdugo is, then we did really well.
I agree that Richards represents on of the highest upside free agent starters still available. I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten more attention so far. When dully healthy, he is quite effective.
I never paid much attention to Richards, but when I checked, he actually isn’t bad. He walks a few too many, but the overall results are decent.
Brad Miller is a perfect fit for this infield. Versatile LHH with a connection to Bloom
Still think that a deal that would help boston is Frazier 2b and Musgrove for a package of prospects or some sort of benni trade
Dee Strange-Gordon? The first thing that comes to mind is Dr. Strangeglove.
Pirate fans have to realize Musgrove is Chris Archer Part Deux….decent #3, maybe a borderline #2, control remaining, enviable contract. They saw what Archer cost (though as Glassnow and Meadows show their warts, and Baz is still a suspect, it’s hardly the “heist” that it’s made out to be).
Like at the deadline 2 years ago, EVERYBODY needs pitching…they should set the price for Musgrove high, and leave it there.
Amusing that you have the “Red Sox Free Agent Targets” article right underneath the signing of a free agent that the article never mentioned.
When did Dee Gordon start going by Strange-Gordon? Is it on the back of his jersey too?
He started going by that last name last year to honor his late mother, DeVona Strange.
As a Red Sox fan, I’m tremendously disappointed with this offseason. Allowing Kluber to go to the Yankees was the nail in their coffin for the 2021 season. Martin Perez, yay. Do SOMETHING, Bloom.
Kluber looked human before he got hurt. He will probably be solid but is not the nail in anyone’s coffin.
Gordon-Strange is not a vaible option for anything anymore it seems.
Garret Richards would be a nice addition but definitely a hard pass on Matt Moore
Didn’t even know Richards was available. He was starting to look nasty at times before he went down.
Don’t get your hopes up Fellow Red Sox fans because Bloom is not going to pick up anything that can make a difference fir this team but throwaways and released dumpster garbage. We are in cheap “Rube Goldberg” mode with this guy under the guise of John Henry!
Garret Richards would be a nice signing by the Sox. They need to look at Odorizzi too. No guarantees on Sale’s recovery. Hopefully Erod is healthy once again. Time will tell.
Offering Al Avila for half a bucket of baked beans.
Any takers?