Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com has floated Alex Verdugo’s name as a potential trade candidate this offseason. Verdugo, age-26, is coming off a season in which he regressed on all fronts of his game. From 2021 to 2022, Verdugo’s wRC+ dipped from 107 to 103, all of the figures in his slash decreased (.289/.351/.426 to .280/.328/.405), he lost .2 ft/s in sprint speed, and went from +1 DRS in 2021 to -4 DRS in 2022. Cotillo adds that according to a source, Red Sox brass were frustrated with his decision to bulk up in the offseason, a choice Verdugo made with the intention of hitting for more power. As evident by his decreased slugging and the fact that his weight has seemingly slowed him down on the bases and in the outfield, the choice to get bigger appears to have hindered Verdugo’s development more than it has helped him.
Speculation regarding a potential Verdugo trade comes as the Red Sox are in need of some help in the outfield. As currently constructed, Verdugo and Kiké Hernandez are Boston’s only outfield locks. Rob Refsnyder and Jarren Duran are decent depth options, but don’t provide as much thump as external options perhaps would, and a Verdugo-Hernandez-Refsnyder/Duran combo would leave Boston’s outfield lacking in offensive firepower. If the Red Sox do trade Verdugo, it would probably come after Boston goes out and gets someone on the free agent market or via trade to lock down a corner outfield spot. Verdugo could fetch the Sox a decent return, and may be flipped to improve Boston’s bullpen, which struggled in 2022. With Verdugo set for a pay raise in his second year of arbitration, it will not be entirely surprising if Chaim Bloom decides to move on from one of the centerpieces of Boston’s return from the Mookie Betts trade.
Some other news from around the AL:
- Mike Maddux is interested in rejoining the Rangers as their pitching coach, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The Rangers fired Doug Mathis and re-assigned Brendan Sagara, who had served as co-pitching coaches for 2022, less than twenty-four hours after the end of the 2023 season. Maddux previously served as Rangers pitching coach from 2009 to 2015, and recently left his post as pitching coach of the Cardinals. Grant notes that Maddux lives in the Dallas area, adding that the Rangers could pair a veteran coach, like Maddux, with someone else who is “more in tune with biomechanics and the art of pitch design” to co-lead the Rangers staff.
- Brady Williams, manager of Triple-A Durham for the Rays, will be promoted to big league staff as part of the fall out from the Royals’ managerial hiring of former Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. With Quatraro out, third base coach Rodney Linares is expected to become the new bench coach. It is unclear as to what role Williams will assume with the Rays in what will be his first opportunity to coach in the big leagues. Williams has spent his entire coaching career within the Rays organization, managing at Short-Season Hudson Valley, Single-A Bowling Green, Advanced-A Charlotte, and Double-A Montgomery, as well as Durham before getting the call to the majors.
Didn’t benintendi try bulking up and that didn’t work out. Verdugo wasn’t the reason they came in the basement. He’s cheap and plays decent enough LF. Stay in your sandbox and hit 12- 15 Hrs and hit .290 and don’t make base running blunders and he’ll be ok. They need a RF….oh they did have Hunter Renfroe at one time..
Verdugo is not worth what he’s paid, even if he is technically cheap. If you want cheap, Refsynder would demand even less and give you just as much production. If Verdugo can bring back anyone of value, I’d send him to whatever team wants to give him a fresh start.
What track record does refsnyder have to guarantee he will give u verdugo production no no no refsnyder should not be a starter this is ridiculous
I agree kmk, where do you get Refsnyder would “give you just as much production” from? A career .686 OPS would be a huge risk starting in LF.
Verdugo was basically the same player but playing on a last place club makes it harder when anticipation was that the team would compete. By the logic of this article, just about the whole team will be dealt.
dewey – I’ve said this before, Verdugo is basically Trot Nixon. A very average player, but Dugie makes Trot look like Einstein.
I will agree. I thought Verdugo was going to turn around and be a bigger star but he hasn’t made that leap yet. And who knows if he will.
Every team needs character, depth lineup players. AV was fine. The problem was he was the only outfielder who showed up in 22.
Fever. Nothing wrong with having a Trot Nixon playing in the OF. Problem in 22 was there was no Damon leading off or a Manny type bat in left.
If you think Renfroe is Manny-type bat, then we are in for a long season.
Who thought that about Renfroe? No one expected him to hit 30 + bombs. That said, his defense was Manny just with a better arm. I liked the deal getting JBJ back. While that turned out bad, the deal will be won or lost by what if anything the prospects turn out to be (or having more depth, can a trade be made?).
Renfroe didn’t have a very good offensive season last year. If they knew he was going to hit like he did for the Brewers this year, I doubt the Sox would have let him go.
Renfroe 2021: .259/.315/.501
Renfroe 2022: .255/.315/.492
He was the same guy.
As a Rays fan, I lament letting Renfroe go a couple years back. Judging a guy on one year–pandemic nonetheless–is shortsighted. See: Kyle Schwarber.
But when Rays (or most every other team) lose a ‘Renfoe’ its a footnote. When Red Sox do it, it’s the Hindenburg.
Another example, Red Sox brought in Wacha, Hill and Paxton to fill out the rotation in ’22. Wacha and Hill were fine for 4th/5th starters, yet look how often the Paxton’s name is brought up here at MLBTR, without ever mentioning that those moves were a net positive for the team.
They had to let him go. Their OF was KK, Meadows, Margot, and Aro. You could argue in favor of a comeback, but he would likely still only be a really good #5 OF on that team.
My surprise was no one wanted to trade for him. He figured to be a 2+ WAR player for $3M+. That’s a bargain.
Renfroe was traded because a) the team tried to sell high and b) even with that cannon of an arm, this defense was not good. Measure this trade in 2025 when you see what the return has done. They believed Renfroe would not repeat at the plate (good for him that he did) and they thought overall the glove of JBJ with his Fenway bat, they’d be at least as good.
dewey – So you’re basically saying the trade of Renfroe was Bloom admitting he lucked out when he signed him.
I agree.
Well said Dewey, think you meant “his” defense was not good.
12 Errors in 2021. No other RFer or CFer had more than 6.
You always look for those deals. For 23, you sign Refsnyder again to be a back up. If he ends up playing more than expected, the team is likely again in trouble. The main problem shirt term in trading for JBJ and the prospects was it put the team over the tax threshold. They thought they could compete again and were wrong.
I have to admit though, a few of his throws were amazing. Especially when he ran and backed up center and nailed the Tampa runner at third.
Beni tried it. And I think JBJ really started to fall apart after his good year in 2016 because he tried to be a power hitter. I can see the lure of a bigger paychecks, but I think some players would be better served just being what got them there in the first place.
Andrew Benintendi did bulk up during his last two seasons in Boston. Like Alex Verdugo, he regressed.
Benintendi went back to his former offseason routine, slimmed down and became a better overall player with the Royals. He garnered a Gold Glove in LF in 2021 and earned his first All-Star honor this past season before being dealt to the Yankees just ahead of the trade deadline.
Verdugo should utilize the same conditioning tactic and go back to do what he did best as a Dodger and with the Red Sox his first two season.
As for the Red Sox need in RF, that could be a slimmed down Verdugo. He’ll have more range and always possessed a strong throwing arm.
Aaron;
Keep mind that playing RF in Fenway Park is one of the toughest outfield positions to play in MLB – more difficult than most MLB CF’s. Multiple reasons why. Dwight Evans was one of the most valuable Red Sox players in the last 50 years because he played that position so well (he was also a very good hitter).
Manny Ramirez was moved to LF because the Sox knew better than to try to play him there.
Verdugo is not going to play much – if any – RF for the Red Sox.
Dwight is a hall of famer despite not being enshrined. Best RFer in Sox history (sorry Mookie who just didn’t play long enough in Boston for a true comparison). One of the few things left in the bastardized game of today that can be compared. The changes in RF at Fenway over the years hasn’t really changed.
@ Samuel
Fenway Park also has the shortest LF in MLB with the Green Monster. Alex Verdugo has better than average speed and a cannon for an arm. Seems to me he’s more suited to RF than LF in Boston or in most MLB outfields.
Having a strong arm in left is big in Fenway. It isn’t the short field, its the ricochets. Strong arms throw out hitters at 2nd all the time trying to stretch into a double.
Maybe we lost that trade but Renfroe wouldn’t have saved us. He’s not that great offensively. Even at his career numbers, we would have still been in the basement.
How can a comparison be made after one year? Like you said PW, the team wasn’t winning regardless (even if the 22 Aaron Judge played RF). Just measure this trade after 25.
Hanley Ramirez also
I would prefer a Benintendi, but there’s not that much difference between those 2 players
“Verdugo, age-26, is coming off a season in which he regressed on all fronts of his game.”
Right.
This is the thing about sports writers – they often rally desperate fans to demand their teams’ FO sell low and buy high.
Stat sheet coverage gets you stat sheet takes…
Well he did regress. Sorry you don’t want to hear it
amk: he never said he didnt regress. He said FO shouldn’t “sell low and buy high”. It would be smarter to keep him, and look for a bounce back season. Your reading comprehension isn’t that good, sorry if you don’t want to hear it.
Don’t see how MLBTR has the power to rally desperate fans to trade a player lmao
No is mentioning the so-called regression relative to all Red Sox players of 2022, which is affected by turf conditions, temperatures, emotional issues due to losing more than you win, etc. also, .2 ft per second is a relative measurement. Every player has a stride length as well as an acceleration rate. .2 ft per second doesn’t mean you’re slower- it could mean you’re stride changed. Over 90 feet, the average player runs almost 30 feet per second after the first 30 feet- that’s a loss of 2 inches over 30 feet or more realistically 4-6 inches over 90 feet, and that is only if all things are static and equal. Bad stats designed to support paying players less. The .2 ft/sec is a measurement taken between two points on a 150 foot run. When did the run take place? Was it pregame? After a workout? Before he warmed up? They’ll not say.
A whopping .009 on batting average oh noooo!!!
He didn’t regress, his performance declined At this point, for him, regression would be an improvement.
The Betts trade has been a disaster for Chaim Bloom. It’s probably going to cost him his job. If you’re going to be this Rays prospect guru in a town like Boston you can’t trade a former MVP for next to nothing. Andrew Friedman embarrassed his ex co-worker in that trade. Meanwhile dave dombrowski continues to build winners everywhere he goes.
He was mandated to trade Mookie. He got the best deal possible and ownership OKed it. It will not cost him his job. If they don’t improve this season it might though.
You’re a homer. Any deal netting you a net zero for a generational player is an utter and colossal failure. Verdugo is the epitome of average and Jeter Downs and Connor Wong haven’t cut it so far in triple A or their cups of coffee in Boston. If ownership mandated me to trade a possible hall of famer for a heap of junk I would resign my job and tell them Im not attaching my name to a horrific trade. But i dont believe that Chaim thought that was the best offer he could get. I think Friedman sold him a bill of goods.
Astros2017Champs;
As I recall it at the time, Mookie made it clear that he wanted to “test” free agency. So he was traded as a 2 month rental. Period.
Let’s put things in perspective…..
At the time the 2 prospects on the Dodgers were considered decent; and Verdugo had the following slash line that year with the Dodgers:
.294 / .342 / .475 / .817
Add that Verdugo was cheap and not a FA until 2025.
–
From my point of view Verdugo is going to leave Boston sooner rather than later. If he can get with a decent organization in a city that doesn’t back stab its players – Tampa Bay comes to mind – he’ll be a productive MLB player again.
P.S. I think you might want to check out how players that are traded for 2 month rentals do. It’s an outlier when one amounts to anything.
You might be right but I also remember Mookie and Boston being far apart on negotiations for several years before that trade. I believe Mookie soured on Boston feeling under appreciated. Smart executives recognize these things and act accordingly. Even if I’m completely wrong on all of this Boston whiffed miserably. Mixing great seasons with terrible ones is shocking for the Red Sox.
Mookie was offered a 10 year $300M deal by the Sox with no deferred money. Given the large amount of deferred money in his current deal he actually turned down more present day value rejecting that deal. He wanted out of Boston but was never man enough to admit it.
Good point, Ken.
“He wanted out of Boston but was never man enough to admit it.”
He was shopping for a home to buy in the Boston area when he was traded. A person wouldn’t house-hunt in a place they were intent upon leaving.
“Youre a homer” and youre a hater Astros.
“shopping for a home to buy in Boston area” — No he wasn’t. This is the first time I heard of this fiction. So I searched it up. He was building a home in Franklin, TENNESEE. Thats a tough commute to Fenway.
I mostly agree with your post except I’m not sure about the “back stabbing” comment. Everything rose is spot on.
Reed, He was planning on commuting on Musk’s HyperLoop at the time…Unfortunately it never materialized…
They waited too long to trade him just like the orioles did with machado it was a bad trade for a generational talent
Typically trades like these are just to get something back because they know the big star isn’t going to stick around, and the team usually has some other holes to fill before they can be good again. They’re never good trades but it’s better than having a team sit on its butt doing nothing until the player walks in FA. In the Orioles case, they were mediocre for a couple of years but kept trying anyway until it was evident that they werent going to contend again before Machado left. Red Sox fell apart in 2019, and knew Mookie didn’t want to stay. They also wanted to get rid of Price who had turned into a bad contract pretty fast.
The main objective of the Mookie trade was to reset the luxury tax which they did. They sent Mookie’s salary and half of David Price’s salary to the Dodgers and reset the tax. When a team takes on money like the Dodgers did, the player return is reduced.
All in the suit, Yep. People keep forgetting about those 2 aspects. Especially taking on Price. That indeed diminished their return. So far you are the only one I have seen mention that.
Even a lot of the writers forgot the Price part. Betts has been the equivalent pf a $45M player.
Thanks Trumbo. Actually, the Dodgers may have been the only team willing to take on $46M of David Price’s remaining contract in order to get one year of Mookie. If that was the case, having only one trade partner would also reduce the player return to Boston.
Correction: The Dodgers took on $48M of the remaining $96M of David Price’s contract.
Joe – I have defended Bloom on the Mookie trade, and one of the reasons was the Price contract along with the fact that any team acquiring Mookie would need to pony up at least $350M to extend him. That is why the number of suitors were limited, and why Friedman is not the genius people make him out to be.
The funny part is they could’ve got Graterol instead of Downs but messed that up too.
It looks like that now. There were questions about Graterol’s health at the time of the trade. At the time, I was happy they didn’t get him.
That’s the thing when people look back at deals like this. They work from after the fact knowledge that wasn’t available when the deal was made, and feel justified in claiming the people making the decisions “should have known” which is basically faulting them for not being able to predict the future.
Exactly!
two coaches choose to leave the cardinals. i bet it was because of oli moron.
Your entitled to your opinion. Even if that opinion is ridiculous. Maddux wants to be closer to home and has been a player/coach for a long time. Jeff Albert left because he couldn’t handle being blamed by fans for hitting approach struggles by our players who aren’t superstars. Has nothing to do with Oli
people can say whatever they want about leaving. sometimes, they don’t tell the real reason. i’m sure you’ve probably did the same thing.
It’s always surprising to see coaches/staff that survive a managerial transition. It’d be easy to see a manager preferring to have their choice of coaches, eventually.
Boston has a serious identity crisis underway. Self-inflicted. Dombrowski’s recent comments regarding his dismissal in Boston are telling – troubling. What a mess.
But, the farm system … right.
Weren’t they in the ALCS 2 years ago? You’re whining is nauseating. When’s the last time one team won the World Series every year?
Technically, we were in the ALCS last year.
Your tired judgement is not appreciated. “Whining” – you’re quick to compliment yourself. Spare me the sanctimony. You’re a company man, Gary.
You’re the squeaky wheel who’s posts are not worth a drop of oil. Keep up the good work, I’m sure it’ll continue week in and week out.
Verdugo was markedly improved in the second half. Average over .300 and an OBP over .380. He isn’t a great baserunner and a mediocre fielder but I say give him one more year to prove himself. Most baseball players peak doesn’t happen till age 27 anyway.
Dropping from a 107 to a 103 wRC+ is not particularly meaningful. It’s a tight range that confirms what type of hitter he is. Above average overall, but perhaps not impactful enough for a corner OFer. That said, there is value in today’s game for a more contact-oriented hitter when considering lineup construction. The drop in SLG isn’t quite as relevant considering power numbers decreased across the game, which is why wRC+ might be more telling. The drop in defense could be more concerning if it holds. Didn’t see him enough to have an opinion on his defense, but it’s not uncommon for defensive metrics to waver year to year.
Mike “Hey, can you get Greg to sign this?” Maddux
2 month rental? He was traded in December and was a one-year rental. Traded before the season started.
The “season” was only 2 months. Hence the 2 month rental.
Makes sense. Thank you for the clarification.
Keep Verdugo for at least half of 2023 and then decide from there.
Educate me on why the Red Sox preferred Verdugo over Benintendi. They are and were similar type players at the time. Benintendi was coming off an ugly season at the time when Boston cut ties, but I didn’t understand it. He has always had solid tools and they got next to nothing for him in Franchy.
Let’s see one is under team control for another 4 years and the other is a free agent.
And Benintendi could have probably been extended back then for cheaper than what Verdugo will make in arbitration, so it’s a moot point.
Even if we assume that’s correct (I absolutely disagree), those years would then be guaranteed.
Benintendi’s offense fell of a cliff as he fell in love with the weight room and his swing got all kinds of out whack. It appeared as if then-Royals hitting coach Terry Bradshaw fixed it in ’21 and even though he had no real power at all this season he was hitting pretty well til he got traded to the Yankees. Maybe Beni needed the change of scenery who knows.
Verdugo was only 24 at the time and a former top prospect in the Dodgers system. Jeter Downs came along with, and at the time was a top-100 prospect. Their potential was too good to pass up. Red Sox figured that since Mookie Betts rejected their extension offer, they needed to trade him and get something back rather than just let him walk in free agency and get nothing. They also got to unload David Price’s albatross contract in that trade so it was a win on the business side of things. Benintendi had also regressed badly in his last years in Boston and the team had little choice but to move on from him.
Regressed badly? He had a bad 2020. 2019, he was a league average player with exceptional defense. In 2021, he won a gold glove, and has been above league average ever since.
So if you’re going to say they judged him based on a shortened 2020 season, well they aren’t all that intelligent.
Unless Bloom makes some impressive moves, the Red Sox will be lucky to hit 80 home runs next season.
Might as well trade the whole team if a slight drop in stats is the criteria. Who on the Sox had as good a year as 2021? When you play for a team and ownership who has a lousy a season as Boston did, individual performances often are less. What I see in Verdugo is a guy who plays hard, gets as many clutch hits as anyone on the team, and is only 26 years old. I guess I’m old school in that I prefer the eyeball test over made up metrics. As a former stats teacher, I know stats can be used to prove anything you want.
When he bulked up he legitimately had a goal to hit for more power. He’s a guy who is trying to figure out ways he can get better and maximize his skills. Bulking up didn’t work out as well, but now he’s got a full offseason to find a new method.
I’d take Verdugo on the Rays any time. Send him on over. Margot, straight up.
Red Sox say they want BP help for Verdugo.. Padres sending Pomz (RedSox own son) + AAA stud Lugo for Verdugo.. lets Go!
Yeah let’s weaken one area to fix another area. Bloom needs to sign good relief pitchers not throwaways from other teams.
They need good pitching in general. Rotation’s pretty thin too. I think they have the funds and the depth in the system to make some good deals to bolster the staff.
The good news is that the Bruins are 10-1. The bad news is this article isn’t about them
Congrats on B’s, but you want hockey news at MLBTR? When there’s literally a link to Hockey Rumors at the top?
“Mike Maddux is interested in rejoining the Rangers as their pitching coach”
Had a feeling this is why he left st louis
Cardinals seemingly always have a pretty good pitching staff every year. It’s like playing on easy mode for Mike Maddux in STL. Rangers have been horrible at building up their own pitching staff from their system. They have a bunch of good prospects but they can’t seem to make the jump to MLB. Sounds like a good puzzle for Maddux to solve while he’s still willing and able to work in baseball.
No way the Red Sox trade Verdugo this offseason. He was slightly above average in a “down” year, and hit much, much better in the second half.
He’s also only 26 and is pretty cheap still. Really the Red Sox weren’t as horrible as everyone makes them out to be, and historically they’ve always bounced back quickly after a losing season.
I don’t know if i would say Verdugo completely regressed. He had more hits, more doubles, drove in more runs and struck out less than in ’21. Now if Cora would settle on one spot in the lineup that would probably help him be more consistent
Counting stats are better but he had more at-bats than he did last year, so on a rate basis he was slightly worse. The difference is very small though so I’m not sure we can really draw any conclusions from it. The article makes it sound like he fell off the cliff but looking closer at the stats it just seems like he had a few unlucky breaks that didn’t go his way this time around.
When Verdugo arrived near the end of the season, with his long hair and goofy attitude, he seemed like he might be a keeper. By the start of the next season, he’d cut his hair and like Samson lost everything that went with it. Also, it probably doesn’t help when you’ve got a new born kid at home either.
Maddux is going to take the Rangers to the promised land of 3rd place.
A whopping 4 points in wRC+ is considered regression, apparently. That’s almost like if Judge “only” hits 50 homers next year after hitting 62 this year. It’s baseball. Weird stuff happens from year-to-year all the time.
Yes Boston was in the Championship Game last year against the Astros but their track record after getting there the next year is scary. They have recently gone from first to worst. I did not like Price’s mouth. All he had to do was pitch and shut his mouth and he got stupid with that statement, “I Hold All The Cards Now”. I have no idea because he could never win a big game. Finally he won. I was mad at the Mookie Betts trade and thought they should have made every effort to sign him. Bloom, who I cannot stand attached that trade to get rid of Price’s contract. Betts was a big time loss and should not have happened. Verdugo is good but not a great player. I don’t think Wong and Jeter Downs are going to make it.,
Bloom has a mess to fix, needs bullpen help, a closer, two starting pitchers not 4th and 5th guys types. I do not know about Paxton who he gave 11 million to rehab and got nothing as far as productivity. He needs a left fielder, a first baseman not named Dalbac (who should not be anywhere near a baseball diamond). Hosmer is not going to cut it. He needs to sign Boggarts who he already “Lowballed” on a contract. He has to sign Devers. He also needs a catcher and what he did to Velazquez was terrible in that trade to a team we were playing that night! Come on Bloom!
I’m sorry I do not have any confidence on Bloom’s bargain basement tactics and his track record to fix the mess he created. If he tanks again this year, I think he is gone. He cannot help himself with his tactics and bringing in cheap minor league talent. The Red Sox need to much to fix this mess. A guy like Dombroski could, Bloom no.
They have a top 5 or 10 farm system they can leverage in trades to reload the team. Honestly, even though they finished last they were still only a couple of games under .500. AL East has been tough, but the Rays are regressing and the Yankees are in a very complicated situation right now. They have a lot of older, expensive players who are underperforming, and now Judge is a free agent. The balance of powers could shift, and I think if Boston makes some shrewd moves and find a way to keep Bogaerts they could swoop in and make the playoffs again.
AL34: So being over the Salary Cap Threshold 3 consecutive years before the trade had NOTHING to do with moving Betts? The fact that the Red Sox were heading for a 4th year and more penalties without some drastic salary cuts in 2020. Do you know the penalties that come with multiple years being over the threshold? Draft Pick losses, Free Agent compensation losses, International Signing Pool money is reduced.
Getting under the threshold was mandated by the owners. Bloom was only following orders. I suppose your solution wouldve been just throw more money at the problem. Easy to say when its not yours.
Your ignorance astounds me.
Who the hell are you to call me ignorant? I have been a Red Sox fan since the 1970s and am probably a lot older than you my friend. We are paying a few players big money like Martinez, Sale, Eovaldi, and Boggarts that add up to the luxury tax quickly. Sorry you do not want to hear it but Bloom sucks as a GM and he sold a bill of goods to Henry that he was going to go cheaper in the future with our illustrious minor league pickups. You overly impressed with anyone but Casas in what has come up? This team is in trouble and Bloom ain’t the guy to fix it.
I also believe Verdugo is not the answer. I also will always believe that the Sox ownership decided Renfroe was gone. Their woke ownership group was pissed at him for speaking out against how MLB was dealing with covid and embarrassed the organization. Bloom has been a terrible GM but I think that one is on ownership.
Looking at the outfield FA market it looks like if they want an upgrade they are going to have to trade for it. Unless their will to go after Judge, which I don’t believe they are.
Nimmo exists. They could also make a bunch of trades from their deep farm system. Top priority for them is to keep Bogaerts and then get some good pitchers.
So the only way to improve your OF is to bring in the (soon to be) league MVP? Whoever signs Judge will deeply regret it in 3 to 4 years. You were probably jumping for joy when the Red Sox reupped Chris Sale too.
I don’t think Judge is the answer at 40 years of age on a longevity contract that would be good early but turn into a disaster after 3-4 years.
Nimmo is also a free agent and would be an upgrade to everyone’s outfield. Hes an excellent hitter who gets on base at an elite level and has some pop that will be perfect in the #2 hole. Also a solid defensive CF. Will be way less expensive than Judge as well. Only concern is if he can stay on the field, but most of his injuries are because he’s a gritty, hard-nosed player who puts 110% effort into everything he does. A lot like legendary Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia come to think of it.
Jarred – too bad Nimmo can’t play for all 30 teams at once, because every “off season to do list” I have read includes him as the outfield fix. Lol
….and there has not been much else for writers to write about….for most of the teams…..
Only a handful of teams actually spend money, Einstein.
Didn’t say I wanted them to go after Judge. I think they would be foolish to enter that sweepstakes. Nimmo is a very good player and he would be a nice addition but he wouldn’t be the impact player (bat) they need. Given the situation the organization is in I have know idea how they are going to fix this fubar. At this point nothing they do would surprise me.