In the wake of David Ortiz‘s retirement, the Red Sox have cast a wide net in their search for a designated hitter and now have interest in free agent DH/corner infielder Pedro Alvarez, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
Boston is familiar with Alvarez, who spent the 2016 season with the AL East rival Orioles. The powerful Alvarez hit .249/.322/.504 with 22 home runs in 376 plate appearances with Baltimore, and recorded the majors’ 20th-highest ISO (.255) among those with at least 350 PAs.
Before joining the Orioles on a $5.75MM deal last winter, Alvarez spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh, but he only became a Pirate after electing against signing with the Red Sox in 2005. Back then, Boston used a 14th-round draft pick on Alvarez, who instead chose to play college baseball at Vanderbilt. That proved to be a wise move, as Alvarez ended up going second overall in the 2008 draft on the heels of a stellar college career.
As a member of the Pirates, Alvarez batted .236/.309/.441 in 2,784 trips to the plate in parts of six seasons and finished with at least 25 homers in three different campaigns. The lefty-swinging Alvarez had serious trouble with southpaw pitchers in Pittsburgh, though, which was also the case last season. Since he cracked the majors in 2010, lefties have held the 29-year-old Alvarez to a .205/.271/.334 line in 605 PAs. Notably, in-house Red Sox DH candidate Pablo Sandoval has also fared poorly against lefties during his career. However, Boston does have southpaw-mashing outfielder Chris Young on hand as a potential platoon partner for either.
Aside from Alvarez, other available DH types who have drawn Boston’s interest this offseason include Edwin Encarnacion, Matt Holliday and Mike Napoli. The Red Sox are likely out of the Encarnacion sweepstakes because of a reluctance to spend past the $195MM luxury-tax threshold, though.
Not a bad idea bringing Alvarez in as a platoon DH against righties and using Chris Young against lefties considering Benintendi will likely get everyday at bats in left. Id still rather a bigger name to replace Ortiz
Alvarez would be a good signing. The Sox could really use a left-handed power bat at DH with Ortiz gone, someone to switch up the Mookie-Pedroia-Bogaerts-Hanley righty-fest.. Alvarez is only 29 years old, and he has quietly put up arguably the best season of his career last year, triple-slash-wise (but not homer-wise), with higher BA, OBP, and SLG than than in 2013 when he won the NL silver-slugger (at third base) and was selected to the All-Star team. Not a bad investment if the price is right!
No thanks Pedro Alavarez is a decent player, but very streaky with a high strike out rate.
Alvarez;s numbers are eerily similar to Travis Shaw’s.
Boston is looking at the Grip it and rip it bats. Pedro, Bruce, Maybe Carter next. They need to Buy EE before the Stros jump on board.
My guess they don’t go there, I see a Sale move involved, with JBJ moved… and bentidini to center or right, and Sweihart platooning with Young and bring the kid up Sam Travis…..a lot more options and movable parts then just a DH Peckerwood guys
Thoughts on Sale and maybe Melky or Frazier as a DH option for the Sox?
I think Sale costs Bradley, Moncada and Erod. I also don’t think that DD is going to do that. I highly doubt he moves Kopech he loves those power arms.
I meant to say DD won’t do that.
Sale will cost more than that!
Actually I’m quite sure that is what would take to get him. If the Red Sox offered that package he would be on the next plane to Boston. The White Sox love JBJ and Moncada and with Erod they have a high ceiling pitcher who comes back as well. Yup that would do it but I don’t think the Red Sox will do it the White Sox would do that in a heartbeat.
I’m not sure if the Astros are after EE anymore after getting Beltran. EE will probably go to Toronto or NY. Certainly could be wrong of course.
Yep!!! I guess Bradley Devers Kopech plus Erod for Chris Sale
I wouldn’t do that either if I’m DD
With all the 1B/DH types the Red Sox have on their roster right now, and several aging players, i just don’t see why they would add a full-time DH. Why not rotate Ramirez, Panda and others through the DH spot?
You got the right idea! Plus they have a premium prospect in Moncada who will need regular at bats to determine if he can become the all star they are betting, as well as more time for Panda to show he has something left in the tank(and maybe then ship him out?), or slot Travis Shaw in if he can ever learn to hit the high and away fastball?! And then you have Sam Travis waiting in the wings too, and don’t forget about Devers(possibly the best pure hitter in the system!)!
Sandovol is going to be the starting 3b this year!
DUMBrowski should look to bolster the pen first!
Quite the downgrade from Ortiz. Sure there is a lot of regret in contract of Sandoval. They could have used that flexibility. Could see a deal with Bucholz to free up his 13m salary.
I’m not sure he’s worth $13 million to another team
Tbf Ortiz is a hard bat to replace
Sox are trying to go cheap.
Could use a left handed bat. Not a bad signing. They can’t sign EE and stay under the luxury tax threshold. Pick up a few guys with an AAV under 10 mil and make some trades at the break. Not gonna see a big splash FA signing from the Sox this off season.
Noooooooooooooooooooooo
I love how one article says the Red Sox have not been in on EE, and then the next article says they have.
OH YEAH? DO YOU REALLY LOVE IT? HUH? DO YOU?
Ok then.
Strikes out a lot….. not much of a batting average…..
Red Sox should trade for a DH not get the left over free agents. Yasmany Tomas would be a better option. 31HR and a 820 OPS at age 25. Dbacks could take some of the contract for a few decent prospects or a bullpen arm, maybe Hembree/scott
Nice username
Boats and Hoes
My first thought is I don’t think Alvarez is much of an opposite field guy, which is needed or at least useful for a lefty at Fenway.
Also, Alvarez & Price played together for a year at Vanderbilt…are they friends? were they friends? is some recruiting going on?
On the surface not a bad idea; I think I’d rather have Holiday on a one year deal
most sox fans seem to hate this but if they can get him on a cheap one-year deal similar to what he got from the orioles last year i think it’d be great. everyone’s given up on him just because his defense is so bad but i think he may be quietly, gradually improving as a hitter. a lot of power-and-strikeouts guys take a while to really get up to speed – thinking of chris davis, guys like that. not that he’ll suddenly be amazing, but there’s always a chance he levels up.
the sox have so many other options and prospects coming up i don’t really think committing long-term money to EE’s decline phase is the best play. this kind of move is way better imo. spend the money on pitching, the offense will be fine
if they are as worried about the cap as had been reported then they might as well stay out of the dh market, rotate Hanley there, and plunk Travis in at 1st.
I hope the O’s bring him back as a DH platoon with Mancini.
I would like hanley ramirez as a dh and try to go for jose abreu to 1B
This is just more evidence that DUMBrowski and the NOG have made up their mind that they are going to do virtually nothing this offseason! They do not care about winning, just putting asses in seats, The Sale rumors are a JOKE! Done intentionally by DD to keep the Boston press and fans off his back so when he does nothing this offseason he can say “boy we really thought we had a chance to get Sale”, The Red Sox will be a sub .500 team next year with the loss of Ortiz and regression of Betts and Porcello. Don’t fall for this BS.
I don’t think Betts will regress much if at all I really think that Price will pitch better and Erod will take a giant step forward this year. The Red Sox have to be the favorites in the Al East as it sits now. The Red Sox have some great high end prospects and I think it would be a mistake to trade away the future for Sale at the current prices. I also think DD wants to see what the Sox have I am quite sure he will strike on the trade market once the season begins if he deems it necessary. They will still have a lot of bullets to make the necessary trade.
You always overpay with in season trades. I agree that Sale’s price tag is too high but I would look to trade for Hosmer and Davis from KC.
Sandavol is the best option at DH with Young against lefties. Spend the money on the pen. It needs an overhaul.
EXACTLY!