The Red Sox have agreed to a minor league contract with veteran first baseman Adam Lind, reports Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter links). The ISE Baseball client was recently released by the Yankees. Drellich notes that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has confirmed the agreement to him, though the club has not yet issued a more formal announcement of the signing.
Lind is coming off a strong season with the Nationals, having raked at a.303/.362/.512 clip and clubbed 14 homers in 301 plate appearances. The 34-year-old has posted an OPS+ of 123 or better in four of the past five seasons — an ugly 2016 in Seattle being the lone exception — and batted a combined .282/.348/.473 through 2142 plate appearances in that time. He’s totaled 94 plate appearances between the Yankees’ Class-A and Triple-A affiliates this season, slashing a combined .302/.362/.477 with three homers in that time.
The addition of Lind will give the Red Sox some additional depth at first base and designated hitter following the surprising DFA and seemingly likely release of Hanley Ramirez. He’s a bit redundant with Mitch Moreland — a hitter who comes with similar platoon issues and a much better glove at first base, though. Lind, after all, has a disastrous .217/.263/.329 slash against left-handed pitchers over the course of 12-year MLB career. He’s been mostly limited to first base, though the Nats did trot him out to left field for 197 innings last season. That marked his first work on the outfield grass since 2010, and he unsurprisingly did not rate well there in the estimation of defensive metrics.
Good low risk move. I was hoping they’d sign him after his release
Low risk? No risk
Good? Yikes. I’m starting to wonder if they got their weed card up at the front office. Adam Lind= Mitch Moreland, except Moreland is doing good.
Trawl lawl lawl lawl lawl, lawl lawl, lawl lawl
Simply injury/slump protection.
Ultimately cheaper than Hanley
I’m a Yankee fan, and I’m glad this guy is being given another chance. Obviously when he plays against the Yankees, I hope he goes 0-4 with 3 strikeouts, but he’s someone you can say deserved more than a minor league deal this off-season. Happy he got a chance — even if it’s with the Red Sox.
Please as a Yankee fan, don’t post stuff like this.
Seriously?
It’s called class. He was great in his limited action for the Nationals, in 2017, hitting .303/.362/.513 with 14 homers in 267 at-bats. You can point out plays least valuable position with defensive flaws, fine. But that slash line — even in a platoon split, deserved more than minor league signing. Many of us are about numbers here. Surely his numbers deserved more than a minor league deal, in 2018
Maybe just word it more like the last two sentences of this post. “It’s called class” you don’t like things like this, so.
From others that appreciate you taking the high road thank you. It’s nice to see people acting respectable
Huh?
Xab, not sure why he chose Boston unless surprisingly, there were no other offers. I haven’t seen his 2018 stars but Travis is a righty and likely platoon call up if Moreland’s production suffers. He seems mostly to be injury protection.
I’ll keep it simple: .303/.362/.513 14 HR in 267AB’s for Nats in 2017, even as platoon-DH deserved more than 3 minor league deals.
In minor leagues, Lind slashed: 302/.362/.477 and 3 HR, 14 RBI, for NYY. He’s paid his dues.
Kind of like you backing Mike Ford. Well how’s he doing?
“.303/.363/.513 14 HR in 267 ABs for Nats . . . deserved more than 3 minor league deals.”
Agreed, but to be fair I believe the Nats offered Lind a one or two year deal—which he rejected—prior to signing Matt Adams. Still deserved a ML contract somewhere as the skill set he brings, LH platoon bat with power and barely acceptable defense at 1B or LF does have value.
@Dewey
He can provide a lefty DH bat when they bench JBJ, and move JDM to LF.
Good comment back Stymeedone. I love that glove but unless one of our catcher’s consistently hits, the team will need more end of order production. Devers could also use a short rest to regroup.
I’m a Yankee fan and totally agree. No reason Lind should’ve not received a major league deal. Glad he’s somewhere just sucks it’s with the enemy
Only 3 k’s why not 4?
Double play grounder.
He isn’t a Hanley replacement he is insurance for Moreland. Hanley had to be let go it was obvious that Cora wasn’t going to sit Hanley and his option was going to kick in almost for sure. Hanley isn’t the kind of guy that is going to take sitting well when he has a 22 million dollar option waiting and he had become an almost automatic ground out the entire month of May. I like this move Moreland has been injury prone in the past.
Moreland can also be quite streaky, so I do think this is a nice move as well…
This is the dumbest move ever. They still paying Hanley n DFA him n sign someone the NYY released who can’t hit like Hanley. I could understand if Hanley was being toxic, other then that it’s crazy!!!!!
Hanley sucks and Lind was actually decent last year
Guys, it’s really about the option next year which balloons to 22 mil….that simple, he is not worth it (a) and (b) you have a lot of guys on this team with contracts due next year…. mookie arb will prolly be in the 20 mil ranger so think long term here
I really believe Mookie will try FA. And suppose the yanks will lure him like the other 2 outfielders that went FA from Sox, Johnny Demon, n Ells…..buried!!’
Professional kind of hitter, knows the AL East, rumored to have excellent attitude. Nothing about this not to like.
Doesn’t make sense for Lind. I would have approached one of the teams, like the Rockies who need some production in that area. Red Sox are not going to help his career.
Have you considered that maybe those teams didn’t want him?
Exactly. Besides, why say no to playing for the Boston organization right now?
Because Maybe you have other options?
Or perhaps not.
Because playing for Boston and playing for Pawtucket are two different things.
The Curse of Ex-Brewer 1st Basemen is to be feared! Fielder’s neck injury, Carter and Hart’s dramatic declines, and now Lind’s stay in limbo…
Did Carter ever have an incline???