The Red Sox have signed outfielder Marcus Wilson to a minor league contract, as per MILB.com’s official transactions page. Wilson has been assigned to Double-A Portland.
There is plenty of familiarity between the two sides, as Wilson was a member of Boston’s organization for most of the 2019-21 seasons. The Sox initially acquired the outfielder from the Diamondbacks in an April 2019 trade, and then designated him for assignment to open up some roster space for moves at the 2021 trade deadline. The Mariners claimed Wilson on waivers, and his time in Seattle resulted in his first taste of Major League action. Wilson appeared in three games with the M’s this season, and though he struck out in four of six plate appearances, he at least banked his first official hit, walk, and run as a big leaguer.
After opting for minor league free agency following the season, the 26-year-old Wilson is now back with the Red Sox. A second-round pick for the D’Backs in the 2014 draft, Wilson has experience at all three outfield positions, though he has spent much more time as a corner outfielder than as a center fielder in the last two seasons. He has posted respectable numbers at the plate in the minors (including a .230/.355/.441 slash line and 30 homers over 792 PA at the Triple-A level), but Wilson’s offensive productivity has been limited by his propensity for strikeouts.
Wilson gives the Sox a known quantity as minor league depth as the team sorts its outfield mix. Alex Verdugo and newcomers Masataka Yoshida and Adam Duvall look to earn most of the everyday at-bats on the grass, while utilityman Rob Refsnyder, top propects Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela, minor league signings Greg Allen and Raimel Tapia or (when they’re not in the infield) Christian Arroyo or Enrique Hernandez could all be in the picture for outfield work.
nottinghamforest13
Brother of Justin Wilson who also recently received a deal. Good day for the family.
Dumpster Divin Theo
WILSON!!!!!!!!
roiste
Boston social media was absolutely crapping its pants when Bloom cut this guy in 2021. You’d hope this would be a valuable lesson in not acting hysterical over every little thing Bloom does, but it probably won’t be
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Bloom is the master of making moves and cutting guys. I mean, he traded for Hosmer at league minimum and cut him in three months.
roiste
The Hosmer saga is another great example of RSN flipping out over nothing. Hosmer sucks, and they only traded for him as salary relief to get a second prospect from SD. Cutting him was perfectly reasonable with Casas looking good at the end of the year.
Hating Bloom for trading Mookie and letting Xander walk makes sense. But all the pissing and moaning about minor roster moves is just tired at this point
Occams_hairbrush
It lets you know who actually hates Bloom and who just tends to hysteria in general.
acell10
those things aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive for some of the types here
PulledaBloom
roiste – Yes those moves are tired. The complaints from diehard fans because Bloom is making tired moves, they are important to help enact change for the betterment of the team.
Hosmer was an ill-advised move when he did it. I hope he banked an “I owe you one” for saving someone’s bacon on that deal. Dumping Hosmer says he’s giving Casas the opening day spot. In the long run, that’s a good thing since we need to see if he’s only hype or if he can really play at the MLB level. Casas has to go through what Dalbec has gone through. He needs to give teams a chance to adjust their pitching to him and see if he can adjust to their changes and be successful. Dalbec has two great half seasons but the rest of the time he’s failed to adjust. We need to see if Casas can be the 1B of the future.
To say Hosmer sucks is completely out of context. Compared to Wilson or the 100 other crap players brought to Boston by Bloom? If I’m picking teams in a sandlot I’ll take Hosmer before Kiki, Arroyo, McGuire, Refsnyder, Chang, Abreu, Hamilton or Valdez. His price was so low that to cut him rather than have him as a utility guy/depth made no sense. You don’t have to like a player to know that his value is greater than his cost. I’m not a Hosmer fan but he’s one of only a few players on the roster whose value was higher than his cost. Bloom was all about that ratio when he preached to the media when he got hired. Too bad it was not what he believed in.
GASoxFan
Pulled – rather than say dalbec has failed to adjust, I’d say he’s been slow to adjust. The good half seasons are testament to that. He did make some adjustments to get back ahead of the pitchers, just not timely.
Still a failure on his part as you can’t go through those cycles. Maybe he’s just going to be a streaky hitter in the *ack* *cough* *cough* jbj mold
Now, this move? I’m indifferent. There’s nothing in the OF that the sox will do to upgrade from where they are at this point. Sink or swim. Minor League signing, nobody substantially better on the board, and, Wilson never got a look before bloom cut him last time. Maybe he’s nothing, who knows.
But it’s not like signing Chung when better SS are available on the market for cheap (iggy).
deweybelongsinthehall
It’s depth in case injuries occur. No big deal but to hate Bloom like others do because of ownership dictated moves is crazy. He signed on knowing Betts was a goner and Bogie got much more than expected. The Sox are getting under the threshold (which his failure to do so last year is Bloom’s biggest mistake if he had ownership’s consent to do so and didn’t) so they can bid on 23 free agents. I’m not saying they will sign anyone specific next off-season but if they do, they will be above the threshold and the more they then add, the less likely it will be to re-set.
GASoxFan
Dewey, I’ve got to break hard with you on that comment.
Mookie –
Whether ownership hung bloom out to dry on mookie saying there was no mandate is fair game. That bloom botched it by attaching price and diminishing the return when the fact the team was under cbt without including price, even absent his unforeseeable opt-out is unarguable. Further, bloom used the cash for prospect and reclamation hunting, the results of which were accumulated from the $16m saved amounted to less than a hill of beans.
Bogey –
Bloom botched this one too by his ridiculous lowball that consisted of nothing more than guaranteeing a vesting option (the extra year) then adding $10m on top of that. That’s inexcusable. Had bloom gone in with an extension matching projections Bogey would be in boston.
CBT? –
It was blooms own mismanagement before, and, at the deadline which put the team over the cap. I don’t recall ownership chomping at the bit to absorb JBJs deal, do you? We could point to numerous bloom screw-ups on that department pushing over the threshold, but, it’s inexcusable especially when you’ve got so many QO candidates coming up.
deweybelongsinthehall
We don’t know what was mandated when Bloom took over however what is clear is the focus of ownership changed.
traderumors
That’s true unless Bloom or Henry leak something in the future. So I guess the simple question is if management lets Bloom go do you think the other teams would give him the benefit of the doubt and line up to hire him to run their FO or feel that maybe he was in over his head in his first head baseball role?
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I never disagreed about the value of it, I just find it ironic how Bloom traded for Hosmer as the centerpiece deal and then cut him.
Don’t tell me it was just for the prospect as Bloom has also cut the likes of Jeter Downs, Darwinzon Hernandez, and others.
If there is sense to what Bloom does, it’s hardly noticeable.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
No, I’m with Pulled on this one. Dalbec has been given three years and he’s failed to adjust. Guy can basically only hit fastballs and that’s it. He should have been traded the one season he was good.
Hosmer would’ve been a better replacement, though I assume they still want to give Dalbec a chance and I can understand that to some degree.
deweybelongsinthehall
Speculation that I don’t see becoming a reality as I believe 2020 bought Bloom until 2024 to bring a winner (at least). You have to give a GM a chance to see his draft picks mature. Baseball is different than other team sports that way.
PulledaBloom
GA – Agreed. I love Dalbec and really hope he figures things out but like Kiki and so many other guys on this roster we can’t have guys hitting well below .250 in the starting line-up. Dalbec needs a shot to play full time in a place like Pittsburgh or Kansas City.
With Wilson I’ll echo the same sentiment I just expressed. We can’t have starters hitting below .250 and expect or even hope to make the playoffs.
GASoxFan
Pulled – I’ve written off any meaning playoffs. If everything went 100% the sox favor, i still dont feel like they get a one game and out wildcard. There no dependable core, no star power in this lineup. There’s a time to rip off the bandaid, may as well be sooner than later.
You lost a ton of kids to DFA and rule 5 because they aged out and there was no space on the 40 man. That situation is not going to improve. Furthermore, you’ve really got no good handle on if anyone will surprise you because so much of the farm is just meh, aaa/aaaa types that might break out or might not, and, a handful of guys with basically a-ball experience but ranked well. It’s beating a dead horse but imagine if you saw 3 months of Ward or Politi last season. Mightve changed some decisions. Might not.
But this isn’t a 2013 type group with a workhorse like lackey being backed up by Lester up top. And say what you will, but, Devers is NOT equal to Ortiz. And Kiki is no Pedroia.
PulledaBloom
Dewey – The way the books work removes any credit from Bloom for payroll improvements. Whether DD was still here, Bloom was here or a new guy replaced Bloom immediately following the Mookie deal, the books are the books and the payroll had a set schedule for rolling off as DD understood. He refused to sacrifice the future for past mistakes and recognized that profits would still be enormous even when the owners wrote off their past mistakes.
Bloom solved no financial problems in years 1 and 2, he simply watched old payroll mistakes roll off the books. He did as you said make a huge mistake going over the $20MM higher cap last year to finish 5th.
If you choose to blame ownership for Mookie that’s your call. I don’t believe Bloom helped the situation and I truly believe DD thought he could talk Mookie into staying at $35MM a year which was an $8MM per year raise. The retirement of the old debt would have returned Boston under the CAP and the Price “opt out” in 2020 would have allowed 2020 to be a reset year with Mookie and DD still in Boston..
You are right that Bloom has hand-cuffed himself financially in 2023 He’s near the cap without getting impact players in the right areas. He lost hitting and didn’t replace it. He lost pitching and needs Sale and Paxton to replace it. He added depth and quality to the relief staff but what should he have done first?
1 – replace the hitting
2 – improve the SP staff
3 – improve the RP staff
My opinion is #3 should be last since both Houck and Whitlock have proven they can relieve at a very low cost.
With the profit level of the ball club I wouldn’t see the need to re-set the CAP situation immediately BUT since the team isn’t competitive there is NO REASON to exceed the CAP until they are competitive. I agree – 2023 needs to be a re-set year or the next GM will be worse off than Bloom was when he arrived. He might have to give away Devers!!!
Think about how ridiculous that sounds but that’s exactly what people think about what happened to Mookie.
PulledaBloom
Peddy – If you think about the timing of the Hosmer deal, the Soto deal was supposed to be done but it got derailed by Hosmer’s presence in the deal so Bloom stepped in and saved the day for SD to get Soto. At the time, it felt like collusion similar to when a GM takes a salary dump for future deals. I thought SD gave Bloom an IOU for stepping in and taking a guy they didn’t really need. SD paid for it and Bloom gained goodwill in my book.
Cutting Hosmer simply opened the door to NOT SIT Casas even if he starts slowly. Like Devers’ who came out of the gate hitting but not fielding yet got to stay, I think ownership’s position on Casas is to make him work. I think that’s not what Bloom wants since DD selected him in the draft and he’s not a Bloom guy, but ownership seems to support him like they did Devers. Why? Who knows but I think Hosmer’s release made Bloom look bad but he was ordered to do it and it was ordered by someone high up that wants Casas to be successful.
With Pittsburgh having so many nice prospects that would look good in the Red Sox outfield, I think dealing Dalbec to Pittsburgh for a prospect OFer makes lots of sense. Without the pressure in Pittsburgh, he might relax and fulfill his potential.
GASoxFan
Pulled – Bloom earned so much goodwill from preller by helping them get Soto and bailing out the hosmer issue that SD came after Bogey.
Some goodwill/IOU that turned out to be.
PulledaBloom
traderumors – Perception from what I can tell is that he wasn’t qualified for the job BUT he has a dear friend in Friedman and those type of connections should lead to other offers in the future. The down side would be so much less in KC or PIT.
PulledaBloom
GA – 2013 and 2023 are nothing alike except expectations are low. If Boston had the 2022 team it might be more similar to 2013 but even then Sale needs to be old Sale for them to contend with the remaining 2018 guys.
Kiki is a AAA lifetime minor league player who was baby sat by Cora so he gets to play ahead of other more deserving players. That’s why Cora needs to go as well as Bloom. Both are just a long string of bad decisions. To Bloom’s credit none of them have been diabolical or offensive to baseball fans like Cora’s.
PulledaBloom
GA – Think about it. Preller gave Bloom an EXCUSE for not signing Bogey. Maybe that was the payback. The absurd nature of an 11 year deal was enough to get people from blaming Bloom due to the size of the deal. He did do him a public relations favor. What if Bogey had signed elsewhere for much less. How much egg would be on Bloom’s face then?
Mi Casas es tu Casas
Look at the LT payroll hit boston took this year for Hosmer it was a dumb trade all the way around
JoeBrady
GASoxFan
Bloom earned so much goodwill from preller by helping them get Soto and bailing out the hosmer issue that SD
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The Padres saved about $600k by trading Hosmer, actually only $200k at the time of the trade.. Do you honestly think, even for a split second, that Preller wouldn’t have simply cut Hosmer and eaten the $200k, after having spent $235M on their payroll?
Y’all are very amusing. The difference in payroll is about .00085.
Fever Pitch Guy
roiste – Social media is a plague, a colossal waste of time.
But you’ve got just as many Bloom suckups hysterically calling every move he makes “brilliant” as you do those who unfairly bash him on certain moves.
Elbo
We’re definitely going to win now!
Occams_hairbrush
^^^^^ There he is! The funny and original guy!
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
There was a day that MLBTR reported Danny Duffy and 2 other Duffy guys signing. There was another day with 2 others with the same name, and this is a day with 2 Wilsons signing.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
This is a solid deal if only they could get him to hit for average.
PulledaBloom
Peddy – 8 years of bad hitting in the minors and you think something is going to change to raise this guys value to make the MLB team? You don’t hit .250 in the minors for 8 years without being a pretty bad hitter. His defense is fine but this team can’t afford another non hitting fielder.
deweybelongsinthehall
He’s simply depth insurance. If he ends up with MLB Sox experience in 23, it means there were MANY injuries or that the team is again in last and the roster was gutted by trades.
PulledaBloom
Dewey – I agree. If he plays the Red Sox have had too many injuries to be successful in 2023.
Mi Casas es tu Casas
Next thing peddo will say is if only Bello can have a lower era then he will be good haha!
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I’m all for that high OBP
miltpappas
Wilson is a decent player and probably as good an outfielder as anything the Sox have. Let him have a shot.
JeffreyChungus
Even the most hardcore Rob Refsnyder haters would agree it’s idiotic to suggest giving Wilson the 4th OF spot lol
Ketch
Seriously?
Marcus Willson isn’t as good as “any outfielder the Sox have.”
roiste
Every outfielder on Boston’s 40-man is significantly better than Wilson. Wilson is a decent organization filler/emergency callup guy because he can play center field, but that’s it.
He should not be anywhere near the the big league roster this year unless multiple guys have serious injuries.
baseballteam
Hire him as special assistant.
Stan Papi
Mookie Wilson is next
olmtiant
Too soon for me…..lol
rhswanzey
No disrespect to Christian Arroyo, who’s a solid baseball player I enjoy watching, but he shouldn’t be in right field in a non emergency situation ever again, and it’s very irritating that playing a guy out of position as part of a platoon was one plan from day one last year. That’s something worth blaming Bloom for in place of a whole long list of stuff that isn’t worth blaming him for.
Fever Pitch Guy
swanzey – You know the reason why Arroyo was playing RF at Fenway is because Cora wants the extra relievers instead of the deeper bench … right?
rhswanzey
Jonathan Arauz made the opening day roster
PulledaBloom
Fever – Interesting theory on why Arroyo is in RF. I think you give Cora too much credit. As illogical as it sounds, it’s still too “thoughtful” to be a Cora reason.
How about my theory…. Cora wanted to put Arroyo at 2B but he didn’t want to improve the defense by putting Story at 3B and he still had Bogey so he felt that Story HAD TO play 2B thus he found another spot to force Arroyo in the line-up because he knows how much Bloom likes him. Remember, Arroyo has a history with Bloom.
There is no rhyme nor reason to what I suggest which makes it perfectly logical for how Cora thinks. Boss like Arroyo so how can I force him into the line-up? Can’t move Verdugo, Hernandez, Devers, Bogey, Story so it’s either at 1B or RF. He chose RF. Sad rationalization for his actions but highly likely based on him playing his favorites even if it makes no sense.
JoeBrady
Fever Pitch Guy
You know the reason why Arroyo was playing RF at Fenway is because Cora wants the extra relievers
==========================
As I explained to you, at the time, every team in baseball carried 14 pitchers.
Joshy
I said earlier that he deserves a shot. He was raking in tacome last year, power hitter, mine own eyes can vouch.
PulledaBloom
Joshy – What’s your zip code. I’ll send you the name of a good eye doctor!! haha
PulledaBloom
Wilson is another dumpster dive. He’s proven in 8 years in the minors that he can’t hit. He’s a decent outfielder defensively but he’s not JBJ on defense and he’s as bad a Kiki on offense.
This pick-up fits perfectly with Bloom’s tenure in Boston.
GASoxFan
It’s a meh move by a blah gm. It could be worse, he could’ve been signed to a mlb deal with a 40 man spot.
Right now it’s no harm, no foul. If you asked me if I’d prefer to see Wilson or Duran as the 4th OF in a scenario where casas struggles to adapt and splits time with turner at 1b, and yoshi moves to DH because his fielding is so bad with minimal help to cover for it from the 3b/ss positions and your 4th OF (refsnyder) has to step up to a starting OF… well, I’d probably say at least give Wilson an extended look just to see what he might do over a month.
If things went so far sideways to get to that point your season is cooked anyways. So, there’s marginal value to that.
Fever Pitch Guy
GASox – I think it’s too soon to give up on Duran. Remember when Pedey started his ML career?
As for Yoshida, he will be just fine in LF. That is where the Sox have historically stuck below average fielders, if Manny can play there every day then so can Yoshida. They don’t need a GG caliber defender at every position, same deal with Devers at 3B.
JoeBrady
Fever Pitch Guy49 mins ago
GASox – I think it’s too soon to give up on Duran. Remember when Pedey started his ML career?
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Pedey was an excellent player in AAA at age 22. Duran had 73 Ks in 279 in AAA at age 25.
GASoxFan
I’m not advocating to dive up on Duran. But I WILL advocate for giving a guy who hasn’t had an extended chance yet over a guy who has.
Let Duran get more seasoning and work on the holes in his game another year. Meanwhile, also see how Wilson performs as an every day or even just utility piece, should the need arise.
Fever Pitch Guy
GASox – I can agree with that, I also think moving Duran off CF might be a good idea. That’s a premium glove position, of which he does not possess.
JoeBrady
Lately I’ve been advocating picking up his 2B glove again. Having the ability to play CF, LF & 2B might add a tiny amount of value if he becomes our #26 player.
MLB-1971
This is minor league roster filler. Marcus Wilson probably will stay on the AA roster as they have enough depth for AAA already. If he gets promoted to AAA, it is because better players their exercise opt-outs or there is 3 or 4 outfield injuries in Boston or Worcester.
B dog 351
Bloom Analogy: The roof on the house leaks . Don’t worry ! I got a tent I picked up at a yard sale in the basement. Just in case
PulledaBloom
Bdog – post of the day!!! hahahaha loved it.
Mikey 64
W move. Wilson should be starting LF for BoSox. Sox should move up a spot in division from this. Much better than getting a real shortstop or a better catcher than Reese McGuire.