Here are the latest rumblings from the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, who’s looking ahead to the offseason:
- The Red Sox will be in the market for a big bat to replace retiring designated hitter David Ortiz, which could lead them to pursue free agents-to-be Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Carlos Beltran, Mark Trumbo and Mike Napoli. Boston is quite familiar with all of those players – Encarnacion, Bautista and Trumbo are currently in its division, while Beltran was in the AL East until the Yankees traded him to Texas in July. Napoli, who’s in the midst of a bounce-back year in Cleveland, is the only member of the group with past Red Sox experience. The soon-to-be 35-year-old was with Boston from 2013-15 and was a key part of its latest World Series-winning team in his first season with the club.
- If the Twins shop slugging second baseman Brian Dozier during the winter, they’ll likely want front-line pitching in return, per Cafardo. Dozier, who is one home run shy of joining Rogers Hornsby, Ryne Sandberg and Davey Johnson as the only second basemen to hit 40 in a season, is on an eminently affordable contract over the next two seasons. The 29-year-old power and speed threat is owed a combined $15MM through the 2018 campaign.
- Even though the Blue Jays have undergone a regime change since they tried to acquire first baseman Joey Votto from the Reds last summer, talks could restart if Toronto loses both Encarnacion and Bautista in free agency. Cincinnati would also have to eat some of the $192MM left on Votto’s contract to make a deal possible, according to Cafardo. Votto, a Toronto native, is enjoying yet another brilliant season, having slashed .315/.433/.525 with 23 homers in 589 plate appearances.
- While the White Sox will listen to teams’ proposals for left-handed ace Chris Sale after the season, a deal seems unlikely. “The odds of getting what we feel we need to get are slim. That’s why I think Chris will be with us in 2017,” a White Sox source told Cafardo. That jibes with an earlier report from FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, who relayed that White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf doesn’t want to move Sale.
- The Brewers and Dodgers are likely to revisit talks centering on outfielders Ryan Braun and Yasiel Puig in the offseason, a Dodgers source told Cafardo. Los Angeles placed Puig on revocable waivers in August, and the Brewers won the claim. The teams then discussed him and Braun, but a deal didn’t come to fruition.
Encarnacion is the only player who will likely produce for the price tag he commands. I would rather the Red Sox focus on improving the rotation and the bullpen
Agree regarding Encarnacion. I doubt Napoli or Beltran will duplicate 2016 and Trumbo’s year is a fluke, playing in Camden. They probably need a 3/4 starter and at least another arm in the pen, although it looks like Joe Kelly can be a plus going an inning or two. Farrell needs to go above all else. He’s at least partially responsible for the injuries to both Swihart (who’s no outfielder) and Wright (using an A.L. starting pitcher as a pinch-runner was just boneheaded)
You must be crazy if you think we need pitching over Ortiz’s production.
Who on this offense will make up for Papi production? Answer Nobody!!
E.E is the closest thing to replacing Papi.
Our pitching will be even better next year Price will pitch better and Pom will also plus will hopefully have E-Rod for the whole season this time.Wright will be just as good also if not better. As for the pen Smith will be back which is a big upgrade. And sign some decent left hander and we will be fine.
You are very optimistic about the Sox pitching staff. What makes you think all Sox SP will pitch better? Oh right they are Redsox…my bad
We need pitching. Good pitching stops good hitting.
Wright is probably the biggest regression candidate in all of baseball for next year, and smith might never be effective again after surgery. And you can’t expect all your pitchers to be better, that’s just unrealistic. Next year Boston will have question marks in all 5 of their slots. Are wright, porcello and Pomeranz having fluke seasons, or are they breaking out after years of mediocrity? Is price declining and only a middle of the rotation pitcher? Is erod going to breakout or continue to have long ball issues? There is a chance all five are better, but that’s getting very greedy. I think it’ll be an above average rotation, but there will be regression for sure
Someone really doesn’t like Boston and the dislike shows thru..
Just because Carson Smith had TJ in August doesn’t mean he will/won’t pitch effective ever again. Everyone isn’t Wheeler…
Gagne had it 2x and was great. JJ is on his 3rd in fact.
Put that dislike in those yankee bloomers for a change.
He’s probably one of the many here that had the sox pegged for last place in the division again.
The RS SPing is actually quite good, probably the best in the ALE. Price is Price and one of the better starters in baseball despite a slow start. Porcello is a good #2. Pomeranz is good.
Wright/Erod have some questions but Wright a decent pitcher and Erod has been pitching much better lately (sub 3 ERA in last 10 starts)
Please show me what I said was wrong. I said smith MIGHT not be the same, which is true with any tommy John patient. And I’m pretty sure i said that the rotation is still going to be above average, even with regression that should be expected, especially from guys who’ve never had good/great years before like wright and Pomeranz. And I do dislike the Red Sox, but you couldn’t get that out of anything in that paragraph. Do you actually believe everybody is going to have a better season next year?
You lack sufficient awe in discussing the Red Sox roster. It’s a character flaw.
Agreed with JFisnasty. It seems like Wright might already be regressing (ERA over 5 over the second half)… Any chance the sox pick up Bucholz for another year to solidify the rotation? He has been quite good as of late
Sox have the money for Buchholz, but do they want him at that price? He had another bad outing today.
Bad outing today for sure, but I think its just ruined by a single bad inning… Looking at the 6 games prior to this he does seem to be doing alright:
22 IP, 5 ER, 22 hits, 19 SO and 4 BB
He can help out in the bullpen too which really helps
Not to mention he would be kinda good with the current free agent class
All of Wright’s games this year when it’s been super hot, like in Texas, or raining have been poor, even earlier when his numbers were good. His grip seems to vary more than Wake and Dickey’s. None of his games, post break have been good due to issues with the arm, which have been gone over and “condensation” issues which have gotten out.
That alone will more than likely carry over for games in stadiums that have retractable roof. It did with Wake late also when the Jays would play in near frigid weather to avoid shutting their roof, where his numbers were far better, as at Tampa and other domed/ac stadiums.
Sweat and rain have been a big pest for Wright, just dripping/running down his arm.
1st week of august hurt his shoulder of course, but the sweat issue now is something else to deal with the team of course had never known of and will have to figure out into the summer of 2017.
The jays don’t decide if the roof is open or closed… it is all based upon, guidelines established by mlb, forecasted weather conditions for the beginning and end of game.
Have you seen how nasty that knuckleball is. He’s always been a good pitcher, just under appreciated. This year he put up his best numbers and he started too but he was always a solid pitcher with a nasty knuckleball. Some regression maybe but he will still be a very very good quality starter.
And that is why the roof is always closed when Dickey pitches. MLB recommends it. And it just so happens to correspond to Dickey’s own personal preference to pitch when the roof is closed.
pablo should be healthy
As a dodger fan I don’t want Braun. He’s too much money and even tho he’s a solid player I’d like to believe we can get great SP for puig.
Completely agree
Since when do the Dodgers care about money? They will probably just get Braun and still keep Puig
You won’t get great SP for just Puig. This is a guy that was only brought back up when rosters expanded.
No, he wasn’t only brought back up because of September. He was brought back because he had worked on his swing and clubhouse demeanor.
I’m not so sure that Puig’s swing was broken when he was sent down. Puig hit .333 in June and .283 in July. His last game before he was sent down he went 3 for 5. It looked like at the time to more than a few he was sent down almost exclusively because of his clubhouse demeanor as you phrased it. His time in the minors didn’t really erase those concerns either since they were not without incident. It appeared to many (myself included) that the predominate reason Puig was brought back up was because of the lack of production from Josh Reddick after he was brought to the Dodgers.
How about Doizer for something starting with DeLeon?
I feel they would need a lot more then that but i think DeLeon abd barnes would get the talks stated
I agree I said starting with DeLeon.
De Leon & Urias other way no Thanks lol
Haha pass on dozier. I get how good he is but the Dodgers still have issues with SP. Urias and DeLeon will be in the rotation by midseason. I’d rather they complete the Braun trade. They’ve already resisted ace/#2 for DeLeon why would they include him for Dozier? 2b isn’t going to be the major area of need for them.
Wait 12 years of Urias and DeLeon for 2 of Dozier?
Never going to happen. DeLeon is a great starting point Urias is off limits. You won’t get a better option than DeLeon and the pitching won’t get better if you don’t trade Dozier. Can’t get greedy and over value
It would be 5 years of one and 6 of the other fyi lol
Actually both are controllable through 2022
Urias’s service time isn’t significant enough to were he would lose a year. He was brought up after the deadline. So yes they both are controlled for 6 years after this year.
But that’s the whole point the Twins need to trade Dozier more than the Dodgers need Dozier. The Dodgers needs still revolve around OF production and resigning their own players. On the rotation it’s clear to see that Urias and DeLeon are going to become vital.
Precisely. Urias and DeLeon are likely to be the heart of the Dodgers’ rotation next season, and the team does not have urgent 2B needs. It’s always amusing to see trades proposed that so clearly benefit only one team.
Anything the white sox decide will be a mistake
Hard to believe the Sox FO would have to think about whether or not to pick up Hanigan’s 3.7m option or not as Cafardo implies. He has skills still, but not when they now have 2 defensive whiz catchers in Leon and Vazquez for years, whether either hits or not as Leon has for several months and Swihart coming back next season as a catcher.
Some team, with nothing as a catcher (hello Atlanta) will gladly sign him for peanuts for his game calling and blocking ability, but not a team that has 3 young kids under team control for years to come.
Hard to see the Reds wanting to move Votto for anything short of a king’s ransom. I don’t really see the talent it would take on the Toronto system
Plus there’s no reason for the reds to eat any salary. Votto’s deal is still pretty much market value for him.
Currently, yes. 5, 6, 10 years from now, though, that’s what you pay for
What kind of quality/quantity would the Reds get back for Votto?
he won’t leave. no trade clause he wants to stay with reds
The Dodgers won’t get much for Puig unless someone dumps a huge salary. Puig is a slacker on the field and a malcontent in the clubhouse. There can be no wishful thinking here.
Mattingly let him drift away from proper fundamentals on the field and from his own team mates.
As a big Reds fan I love Votto. However if Toronto ponies up very very good players , see ya Joey and thanks.
I wouldn’t say Dozier has had a bad year. Sure he struggled early on but after the Nunez trade he was put to the top of the order again where he did much better. He’s been one of most consistent hitters in baseball since the end of July in my opinion.
Who said he’s had a bad year?
He’s having a bad-ass year if that counts.
There is no question about it, Dozier is having a great year. I think you misread “slugging” as struggling.
Joey Votto isn’t owed $192M……
Unfortunately he is.
Votto a Good hitter , but he’s played in band box his entire career , going to another Homer dome in Toronto would be Great foe an aging Hitter if the Blue Jays spend the Prospects and money to get him.
After this season, Votto’s owed $192 million if his ’24 option is picked up. If not, including his buyout he’s owed $179 million.
Agree also….. Many of these guys are at a age of decline …. Get a starter and bullpen help..
I don’t understand the Beltran to Boston thing? Isn’t the plan for them to move Ramirez into the DH role? Plus even if they don’t do that, it’s likely Sandoval will need to be there sooner rather than later because I can guarantee you that that guy will not keep the weight off, never has, never will. The one year he lost all that weight he put it all back on during the season plus another 15 pounds in Spite Weight because SF wouldn’t let him order room service in the hotels.
We need to unload Panda. Don’t know how but it has to happen. May have to eat most of the salary (no pun intended) but he will be a distraction. We have good chemistry on this team with young players pushing for playing time. Good scenario. Papi said Encarcion is his choice and he may be onto something. He and Ramirez could spell each other. Ramirez has come along at 1st. Better than I thought. I like the idea of Trumbo as well. Not Beltran at all. Napoli is not that clutch and it would be risky to think he could do well again next year. Napoli must have gotten that sleep apnea issue worked out. It was really rough on him for a couple years. Had surgery to correct it. He barely slept for two or more years.
I agree, and at a price someone will take him.
I keep hearing The Padres but really think this is a dumb idea even if they got him for free. He’s not been successful in the AL East where he was playing games at Fenway, Camden, Toronto and NY. All hitters parks. How’s he gonna go playing in the NL in a pitchers park? Only way that works is if The Padres get him cheap as chips so that if they did have to release him (and they will), they won’t have to eat much in the way of salary.
The only place it makes logical sense for him is an AL team that can DH him as he continues to be baseball’s equivalent of 1976 Elvis. I predicted this when he left SF, the only part I got wrong was how soon in his career he would need to be a DH. I thought they would get 2 (maybe) 3 years out of him in the field before he was a liability.
With Encarcion, the Red Sox could use Ramirez as DH and they could spell each other. Trade prospects for better relief or #3 starter. With Trumbo you have a 1B / OF as well which frees up prospects for trades. Either would be fine with me. Trade Panda and eat most of his salary – unless he loses 50+ pounds. Lol
How many of you Red Sox fans want Papi to either change his mind or come back in a year for one more shot? Wishful thinking I know. I am praying we win it all in his last year. Today was another reminder of how clutch he is. Maybe he can be a coach of some sort. Surely the Red Sox want him hanging around – for the younger players if nothing else. He can definitely help the Latin players acclimate. Moncada could use his help for game preparation and film study.
I cant see the Red Sox front office signing Napoli a year removed from releasing him because he’s having a resurgent season. He’ll hit his wall. He always does.
EE is the only one that makes sense. Hes only 34 so a 4yr deal isnt a terrible risk. He could DH or play 1st which would make it easier to work with Hanley, and his numbers will only get better at Fenway. Id love for them to snag him this offseason but hes prompt a hell of a bidding war most likely.
The White Sox have been wasting a lot of Sale and Quintana’s careers by having a ‘know nothing’ manager in Robin being there for 5 under achieivng seasons. A good manager in place means this team has at least 10 more wins than it does now. Is Robin the only problem? No, but his lack of fire, poor in game decision making, and failure to hold players accountable have cost the Sox more than anything else at this point. Get a decent manager in the Sox clubhouse and make a run next season with a few tweaks (namely CF and Catcher) and if they fail again, then trade everyone not named Anderson Rodon or Fulmer (and anyone in their minor league system)( and tear it down, but the Sox first need to also make org changes to their scouting and player development depts before trading away guys like Sale and Quintana, because they MUST win those deals to justify moving either of those guys at this point.