Boston's big acquisition could be a prelude to more moves for the AL Wild Card leaders. GM Theo Epstein said this afternoon that his team will continue to be "very active" in discussions around the league, though he addressed the team's main need by adding Adam LaRoche. The 29-year-old first baseman provides the Red Sox with a solid bat against righties and insurance in case Mike Lowell needs time off.
The team added LaRoche to win this year. Epstein said possible compensation picks after the season weren't a key component to the deal because it's "far from a certainty" that LaRoche will rank as a Type A or B free agent after the season. He's not currently ranked as a Type B free agent, but he's on the cusp of becoming one.
Historically, LaRoche's OPS has been 128 points higher after the All-Star break, but the Red Sox aren't expecting monster numbers from their new first baseman. Epstein said the team's defensive metrics rank him as a sound fielder.
LaRoche will join the team in Boston for the weekend series against the Orioles.
