The Red Sox have interest in free agent corner infielder Trevor Plouffe, reports Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald, though their interest is contingent on Plouffe’s asking price. It’s not clear exactly what the career-long Twin is seeking at this time, but Drellich hears the BoSox are interested if Plouffe is willing to take a one-year deal worth $2-3MM.
[Related: Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]
The 30-year-old Plouffe, Minnesota’s first-round pick back in 2004 (20th overall), was outrighted following an injury-riddled 2016 campaign that saw him endure three DL stints for an intercostal strain, a broken rib and an oblique strain. Projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn a hefty $8.2MM via his final trip through arbitration, Plouffe didn’t perform well for most of the season, though he did bat .277/.345/.465 with five homers and four doubles across his final 113 plate appearances. However, the aforementioned oblique injury landed Plouffe on the shelf for the final three weeks of the year. His injuries, projected price tag and a crowded Twins corner infield/DH picture led new Minnesota execs Derek Falvey and Thad Levine to move on from Plouffe rather than tender him a contract.
Plouffe didn’t develop into a regular for the Twins until his age-26 season, as he struggled as a shortstop (the position he played in high school prior to being drafted), second baseman and corner outfielder before settling in as Minnesota’s everyday third baseman from 2012-16. In his first four seasons as a regular, he proved to be a roughly league-average bat, hitting .248/.312/.426 and averaging 23 homers per 162 games played. A right-handed hitter, Plouffe has been significantly more productive against lefties. His defense at third base was never exceptional, but he grew from a poor defender to a somewhat above-average defender in the eyes of both Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved. (He posted poor numbers in both fields in 2016, though injuries may have impacted his maneuverability in the field.) He also saw more than 100 innings at first base in each of the past two seasons.
Drellich notes that the Sox “fully intend” to give Pablo Sandoval a chance to handle the lion’s share of work at third base, Plouffe would give the team a right-handed complement to first baseman Mitch Moreland and to Sandoval at third base. The switch-hitting Sandoval has long fared better as a left-handed bat in his career, and Moreland has never had much success against southpaws himself. And, in the event that Sandoval isn’t able to recapture his form, Plouffe would provide somewhat of an alternative at third base.
It’s not clear if there’s a team out there that would afford Plouffe a better path to playing time, though the corner market isn’t exactly robust at this time, and there aren’t too many clubs looking for an everyday option at third base. Plouffe could potentially be a fit with teams like the Brewers (platooning with Travis Shaw and Eric Thames at the infield corners), the White Sox (if they trade Todd Frazier), the Braves (pushing Adonis Garcia for playing time at third base) or the Marlins (platooning at first base with Justin Bour), but that’s just speculation on my behalf, and none of those teams necessarily has a clear everyday role.
If he doesn’t get hurt, he’s basically a Travis Shaw
A future HoF?
He’s literally the exact opposite of Shaw. Plouffe is a bat first, below average defender who is right handed while Shaw is a glove first, below average hitter who is left handed.
He would give them a right handed compliment to Moreland. Not a left handed one
Jeez dude, calm down
Ok good his comments got deleted lol
Just out of curiosity, what was said? Haha
Solid player would be worth a major league deal not the 8 mil in arb though. but 3-4 good sign to a Major league club. the way contacts have been going. anyone looking for a 3rd baseman on a short term deal.
Don’t care what anybody says, I have been a huge Plouffe fan since he was drafted. He had decent 2012 and 2013 (0.5 & 0.3 WAR) and good 2014 and 2015 (3.5 & 2.4 WAR). 2016 numbers seemed to be in line with the previous years in regards to games played and projections. Would still like him sign with a CA team.
He had a 1.1 and a 1.8 in 2012 and 2013 and a 3.9 and 2.5 in 2014 and 2015. His 0.4 last year doesn’t fall in line anywhere.
Yanks sign him and trade headley
Why would the Yankees do that? Headley is the far superior player.
they would trade him in a heartbeat
They can’t trade Headley–there’s no real market for him. They would have to send so much money that by the time they paid the acquiring team and Plouffe they wouldn’t gain anything. By strict bWAR last year, Headley wasn’t that bad–but good luck finding the player that the Yankees thought they saw after they traded for him.
Plouffe is a good match for either a team not likely to contend looking to save money and maybe flip him, or to a team like the Red Sox, who can slot him in and use him effectively.
Right now give me Headley and his remaining 2 yrs/$26MM versus Sandoval and his remaining 3 yrs/$50MM plus every day of the week and twice on Sunday’s.
Sorry, I have a distinct memory that there was a “no return, no refunds” slip attached to the Panda when the Red Sox took it from the store. Re-gifting isn’t going to work.
Both are not worth much at all, Sandoval having way negative value, but I’d take Sandoval to have the better numbers going forward.
Lets see what you think about that around mid July, if the Red Sox didnt think Panda would be a factor this year, Encarnacion would be in a Red Sox uniform.
He wasn’t a factor last year and they didn’t need an all star to replace him. I can assure you if the Red Sox had no confidence in Sandoval , they wouldn’t have made Encarnacion the answer to that. Encarnacion is a horrible 3B. The answer to that would be to just simply keep Travis Shaw instead like they did last year.
Nobody wants old players making a lot of money
Please someone invent a software that prevents people from submitting comments if they use your and youre incorrectly! Dont even tell them whats wrong. Just prohibit the submit button until they fix it.
LOL thats awesome.
What should they do about people don’t use apostrophes?
“your and youre incorrectly!” or “LOL thats awesome.’
“
You spelled a word wrong when slamming someone for poor grammar and someone called you out on it. Don’t try to justify it, just take the hit.
Before you decide to be a grammar patrolman DC, utilized apostrophes when appropriate (is it ‘whats wrong’… or ‘what’s wrong?).
It’s not there fault that they weren’t taught write. Your just being mean and their is nothing wrong with they’re spelling of it
This komment is grate. Fanominal.
And Dombrowski will offer what? Devers and Benintendi?
I think if you reread the article you will notice that he was outrighted…released, so no compensation due
And also lol
He’ll trade benintendi to the free agency list for plouffe
This screams Eppler. A guy with pop and good 3b defense would allow us to mix and match between escobar, espinoza, simmonds and Plouffe. The best part is that if it doesnt work out for the team, these are all tradeable players. Get it done for 1/2.5 billllly.
Plouffe is a really terrible defender at third base though.
plouffe is nowhere near simmons so he wouldn’t affect his playing time one bit. And escobar isn’t an option at second base anymore.
I would imagine the Red Sox wouldn’t be the only team interested in Plouffe if his demands fall to $2 or $3MM on a one year deal.
Well it directly blocks Sam Travis’s path to the majors, unless DD plans on trading the little bit left in the minors, which gee I think he did that in Detroit also.
Well we still have Gromne and Devers.. Travis just missed the whole 2016 season and has never played above double A. He is not going to be on the opening day roster. Plaufe would be on a one year deal, and they would not pay him any more thne 3-4 million, so they can afford in season moves. But Ploufe has nothing to do with Travis, it just replaces Rutledge.
That would be a good pick up we don’t know what we going to get from Pablo Sandoval get him for one year 4 million
Don’t forget Brock Star guys!
There’s no way the Brewers have any interest in Plouffe. They have a guy who’s fully capable of platooning at 3B and 1B. That’s Hernan Perez.who is coming off a breakout season and is ripping up the Venezuelan Winter League.
You do have to wonder why the Red Sox are in on Plouffe and the Angels aren’t…
not really
Giants should be in on him so they can put Nunez in left
Trade for Todd Frazier. Shouldn’t take too much.
White Sox are in no reason to rush trading him. Lots of cheap power bats out there, so hes not going to get a ton. I bet they wait till spring training/july to get more out of him.
I would certainly like to see the Red Sox go out and sign a right-handed hitting third baseman, if they can get a nice deal. I’d actually be pretty open to them re-signing Aaron Hill, if not Plouffe. This would most likely spell the end of Josh Rutledge’s short Rule 5 tenure here, but I think if they can get a healthy Hill or Plouffe, their lineup is pretty complete.
This would allow Farrell to really load the lineup when facing a lefty. You can give Sandoval and Moreland days off, play Hill/Plouffe at third, Ramirez at first, and have Chris Young DH. Also it frees Brock Holt to be the super utility across many different positions, and not leave him as the sole replacement for Panda if he falls on his face again. That in turn would allow Marco Herandez to be a utility depth player waiting in AAA with two remaining options. If and when injuries occur in the infield, Brock Holt can fill in as an every day player and Hernandez can fill in Brock’s utility role.
Maybe Rutledge plays well in Spring and earns the job himself. Regardless, I think one of Rutledge, Hill, or Plouffe need to be on the bench to start the year. My hope would be for Hill, as he is a little bit better at hitting lefties than Plouffe is, and is already familiar to playing in Boston after finishing the year here. I’m not terribly sure what his ask is right now, I have heard nothing about his market.
I rather see Hill there, I think Rutledge suxs,And if Panda comes thru makes me wonder if they can deal him at the trade deadline.
trade panda to sf giants then trade for todd frazier
smh
nobody wants pablo
Good deal if I say so myself. $2-3 m for a decent guy who can deliver at the plate when needed. .247/.308/.420 in six years…once again good deal. Sign him. He’s an average defender, productive against lefties, and averages 23 homers and 62 ribbies a year.
Thats just not true though? He averages about 15 home runs in the 6 seasons he;s played at least 80 games,
Red Sox would be dumb to sign him, they have Holt and Panda platooning at third so one of them takes up a bench spot and Young will take up another spot and so will whoever ends up as the 2nd catcher and they got Rutledge in the Rule 5 draft which made me think that they plan to make him another Holt and have Holt stick to 3rd mostly so I just don’t see any place or reason to sign Plouffe they have Sam Travis coming up next year which is why Morland is only on a 1 year deal and Deverse will be up in 2 years so I just see no reason for Plouffe plus they brought in Dominguez on a minor league deal so he could fill the same kind of role but for cheaper. That is my opinion at least
The reason why this is a good idea is because they can’t depend on Panda or any of their prospects coming up soon. Holt may have another good year but they need as much guys as possible for 3rd base. Who knows? If Plouffe hits 25 homers and bats at least .270 and doesn’t get injured the Red Sox will have their biggest need covered and can win it all.
Plouffe has literally never hit 25 home runs or hit 270.
I mean he could probably hit well at Fenway but we just don’t have any space for him at the moment, as of now I feel comfortable with Panda/Holt at 3rd and Morland/Hanley at 1st/DH and Holt can play 1st as well and Young is likely to get some time at DH as well. If the Red Sox didn’t sign Morland I might agree to get Plouffe but since we did sign Morland and like I said earlier have Deverse as well as Marraro and Hernandez and Domingez in the minors and are all capable of playing 3rd I think the Red Sox would be smart and let another team grab him.
Plouff would replace Ruteledge. If they can get him for cheap ( and leave enough money so they can still make in season additons) I think its a great deal. He has decent pop in his bat, and would really round out a great bench ( Holt, Plouffe, one of Swihart,Leon, or CV, and CY). Devers is likely not going to be a factor till late in 2017, and is still very young. He is not ready yet. Domingez is just depth , Merraro has taken huge steps back. Hernandez could compete for a spot, but Plouffe and probably JR would be ahead of him
Sure he hasn’t hit 25 homers, but he’s playing in fenway if he gets traded. Fenway is home of the home runs for rightys. He hasn’t hit .270 but has hit 80 RBI’s before.
I would take Ruteledge over Plouffe because if Holt is going to stick to 3rd I want to have someone off the bench who is capable of playing 2nd/SS/3rd over someone who is stuck to just 3rd/1st. Rutledge knows Fenway and the organization better than Plouffe as well so that is my reasoning
He already signed a minor league deal with the Rockies.
Who signed with the Rockies?