Red Sox Rumors

Giants Interested In Acquiring Jackie Bradley Jr.

By Connor Byrne | November 12, 2017 at 9:02am CDT

The Giants are interested in acquiring Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link). Bradley is one of “many” outfielders the Giants are eyeing, notes Morosi, who reported Friday that they have discussed right fielder Giancarlo Stanton with the Marlins.

The 27-year-old Bradley would be a much less exciting addition for San Francisco than Stanton, who’s a National League MVP finalist after bashing 59 home runs in 2017, but he’d nonetheless upgrade its outfield. The Giants’ starting center fielder in 2017 was the 33-year-old Denard Span, who easily ranked last in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved (minus-27) and posted a similarly dreadful minus-7.5 Ultimate Zone Rating. Unsurprisingly, then, executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean has identified center field as a position where the Giants must improve.

“Center field needs to be upgraded,” Sabean said this week.

Bradley would fit the bill from a defensive standpoint, having combined for 34 DRS and a 23.5 UZR in center dating back to 2014, his first full season. The lefty-swinger complemented his excellent glove work with terrific offense from 2015-16, slashing .262/.345/.489 with 36 home runs and a .227 ISO in 891 plate appearances, but his production in that department took a step back last season. In 541 trips to the plate, Bradley hit a disappointing .245/.323/.402 and saw his ISO plummet to .158. On the positive side, Bradley still went deep 17 times, and he ranked as one of the premier baserunners in the game for the second straight year, according to FanGraphs’ BsR metric.

While it’s unclear what the Giants would have to give up for Bradley, he’d presumably bring back a solid haul as someone who still has three years of arbitration eligibility remaining. He’s projected to earn an easily affordable $5.9MM in 2018, which surely appeals to a San Francisco club that already has approximately $170MM committed to 16 players for next season and is trying to stay under the $197MM luxury tax threshold. Conversely, the Red Sox are more than willing to spend upward of $197MM if it means improving their offense, which struggled in 2017. Dealing Bradley and acquiring a big-hitting outfielder like Stanton or free agent J.D. Martinez would help them do that.

Giancarlo Stanton Rumors: Saturday

By Kyle Downing | November 11, 2017 at 1:22pm CDT

On Friday, we learned that the Marlins have had preliminary talks about outfielder Giancarlo Stanton with four MLB teams. As more rumors involving the prolific slugger swirl about today, we’ll keep track of them here.

Talks between the Marlins and Red Sox involving Stanton “may be heating up”, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. His source tells him that the Red Sox are “definitely in play”. Spencer also mentions that Stanton’s incredible power would play well at Fenway Park, adding that Boston hit the fewest home runs of any MLB team in 2017. The Red Sox certainly seem like a reasonable fit for many other reasons as well, and Spencer lists a small handful in his piece. They’ve been said to be interested in spending more money, even to the point of exceeding the luxury tax, while it has been said that Stanton prefers to play near a coast. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is no stranger to making deals with the Marlins, having helped engineer a blockbuster trade to bring Miguel Cabrera to the Tigers back in 2007.

East Notes: Mets, Red Sox, Orioles

By Kyle Downing | November 11, 2017 at 10:53am CDT

Following a 92-loss season, the Mets will reimagine the way they use their pitching staff, says Marc Carig of newsday.com. The so-called “philosophical shift” may in part be driven by the Mets’ recent hire of former Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway as their new manager. According to one of Carig’s sources, Mets starters not named Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom may be shielded from facing lineups more than twice through the order, following a continuing trend throughout the league. In order to compensate for potentially fewer innnings from their starters, the Amazins plan to employ an eight man bullpen. The dramatic change in plans comes after the team posted a 5.01 combined ERA (the second-worst mark in the National League in 2017) despite watching deGrom finish as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Carig lays out the opponent OPS for each Mets pitcher per times through the batting order as well.

Latest On Giancarlo Stanton: Talks Between Marlins, 4 Teams

By Connor Byrne | November 10, 2017 at 9:39pm CDT

The Red Sox, Cardinals, Giants and Phillies are early contenders to put together a trade for Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports (on Twitter). There has been “preliminary communication” regarding the right fielder between each of those teams and the Marlins, according to Morosi, who adds that talks are likely to “intensify” at next week’s general managers meetings.

With the Marlins primed to slash payroll under new owners Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter, Stanton stands out as their most obvious trade candidate. The 2017 major league home run king (59) and National League MVP finalist is owed either $295MM through 2028 or $77MM through 2020, depending on whether he exercises his opt-out clause. The amount of money left on the contract, the opt-out and Stanton’s full no-trade rights could combine to make a trade rather complicated. But the 27-year-old Stanton’s no-trade clause may not be a major hindrance, given that he is fed up with losing and would like to join a contender. The Marlins appear poised to embark on a lengthy rebuild, so it seems doubtful Stanton would stand in the way of a deal if he feels the acquiring team would give him a chance to play meaningful games into the fall – something he hasn’t done since bursting on the big league scene in 2010.

While the Marlins have never even posted an above-.500 season during Stanton’s eight-year career, the Red Sox, Cardinals and Giants have typically served as contenders during that span (though San Francisco’s coming off a major league-worst 68-win season). The Phillies, meanwhile, have finished toward the bottom of the NL East for five years running, but several of their young players showed progress in 2017, and the club figures to return to its high-spending ways when it’s officially ready to leave its own long rebuild behind. Stanton reportedly wasn’t willing to waive his NTC to go to Philadelphia as of late in the season, though, and it could also hurt the team’s cause that it shares a division with the Marlins, who would have to face the p.r. backlash of dealing the face of their franchise to a close rival.

As with the Phillies, there are reasons why a Stanton acquisition would and wouldn’t work for each of the other three suitors (and several other teams), as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd deftly laid out on Thursday. Regardless of whether the Marlins ultimately send him to one of the four front-runners or another club, the Stanton sweepstakes will go down as one of the most fascinating sagas of the offseason.

AL Notes: Choo, Rangers, BoSox, M’s, Ichiro, Orioles

By Connor Byrne | November 10, 2017 at 6:38pm CDT

Outfielder/designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo is a “luxury” the Rangers can’t afford, opines the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant, who contends that the team should shop the 35-year-old in hopes of improving elsewhere. Choo has an onerous contract, though, as he’s owed $62MM through 2020, so the Rangers’ best hope might be flipping him for another team’s unappealing deal, Grant writes. With that in mind, Grant lists three right-handers signed through 2020 – the Tigers’ Jordan Zimmermann ($74MM remaining on his pact), the Royals’ Ian Kennedy ($49MM) and the Reds’ Homer Bailey ($49MM, including a $5MM buyout in 2020) – as players the starter-needy Rangers could potentially acquire in exchange for Choo. Notably, Choo spent the 2013 campaign in Cincinnati and thrived, which helped pave the way for him to sign a seven-year, $130MM pact with the Rangers in the ensuing offseason.

Red Sox Prospect Daniel Flores Passes Away Due To Cancer

By Steve Adams | November 8, 2017 at 5:17pm CDT

In heartbreaking news, the Red Sox announced on Wednesday that top prospect Daniel Flores has passed away due to complications stemming from treatment for cancer. Flores was just 17 years of age.

“Everyone at the Red Sox was shocked to hear of Daniel’s tragic passing,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in a statement. “To see the life of young man with so much promise cut short is extremely saddening for all of us. On behalf of the Red Sox organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Daniel’s family.”

Red Sox senior vice president and assistant GM Eddie Romero, who has overseen the team’s international scouting department since 2012, also weighed in:

“Every member of our organization who got to know Daniel absolutely loved him. He was energetic, hard-working, and genuinely selfless, always with a smile on his face. He cared for his teammates and was a natural leader. I’m at a loss for words today. Daniel was an impressive young man with limitless potential, and his life was cut far too short. My condolences go out to Daniel’s mother and sister. Though with us for a short time, Daniel will always be a part of the Red Sox family.”

Boston inked the highly regarded Flores just this summer, signing him to a $3.1MM bonus out of his native Venezuela. He was touted as one of the most promising young talents on the 2017-18 international amateur market and had ranked as the team’s No. 5 prospect over at MLB.com, which also ranked Flores among the 10 best catching prospects in all of baseball.

On-field abilities aside, the sudden and unexpected loss of a young man with such a bright future ahead of him will leave the industry with heavy hearts. MLBTR extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Flores, as well as his teammates and the entire Red Sox organization.

Red Sox Name Dana LaVangie Pitching Coach

By Jeff Todd | November 8, 2017 at 2:43pm CDT

The Red Sox have announced that Dana LeVangie will become the team’s new pitching coach. Also joining the staff is Ramon Vazquez.

LeVangie previously served as the bullpen coach in Boston. He’ll carry some institutional continuity with him as the team undergoes a transition to new manager Alex Cora. LeVangie took quite an interesting path to his new position. A former minor-league catcher, he functioned as the Sox’ bullpen catcher for a long stretch before moving to a scouting role and eventually becoming the ’pen coach.

Vazquez, meanwhile, will “serve as a liaison between the major league club’s advance scouting and statistical analysis efforts, for the purpose of presenting information to players and coaches,” according to the club’s announcement. The former big league infielder served on the Padres’ coaching staff last year and previously worked with the Astros.

Notably, too, the Sox announced that Steve Langone will become the organization’s manager of advanced scouting. The former advance scout will begin traveling with the club. In conjunction with Vazquez, it seems as if the organization will be institutionalizing the flow of analytical information between the front office and uniformed personnel.

Red Sox Notes: Hanley, 1B/DH, Luxury Tax, Cora

By Steve Adams | November 7, 2017 at 5:36pm CDT

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made no secret about his desire to add a bat to play first base or handle DH at yesterday’s press conference to announce manager Alex Cora, as MassLive.com’s Jen McCaffrey writes. “We need to score more runs,” said Dombrowski, noting that while there’s room for internal improvements, the team can add outside the organization as well. “…But we do have probably the open spot of first base slash DH, and so that’s a place we’ll try to create some offense there.” Per Dombrowski, the Sox have received positive news from Hanley Ramirez’s surgeons, who believe that the 33-year-old’s shoulder operation will allow him to return to first base next season. Dombrowski stressed that Ramirez may yet be the DH, depending on the bat the team acquires, but his progress at least allows them some flexibility in their search.

A bit more out of Boston…

Dombrowski also suggested that the team does not need to prioritize staying under the luxury tax barrier for a second consecutive season, per Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston. Asked if he thought that was a goal for his club, Dombrowski bluntly stated, “No, I do not.” Principal owner John Henry also suggested that the luxury tax barrier isn’t likely to be a deterrent for Dombrowski and his staff as the Boston front office looks to add to its lineup this offseason.
Cora dedicated a portion of yesterday’s press conference to fielding questions on an increased implementation of data and analytics on the field, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The new skipper’s comments are well worth a full read-through, but Cora spoke about the power of presenting analytical data in a digestable format for players. Cora noted how quickly Justin Verlander took to the data presented to him following a trade to Houston, suggesting that Verlander “saw the light” and embraced the process with the Astros. Cora also indicated that the Sox could be more aggressive in terms of infield shifts in 2018 and beyond. “…And yes, we’re going to see more and more of those annoying shifts,” said Cora. “There’s going to be different formations, probably defensively, we’re going to help this infield to be better. The outfield, they’re amazing defensively, so we don’t have to make too much adjustments.” Other topics covered by Cora were the importance of analytics in baserunning as well as at times trusting the players on the field over preconceived, data-driven plans.

Offseason Outlook: Boston Red Sox

By Mark Polishuk | November 7, 2017 at 1:44pm CDT

MLBTR is publishing Offseason Outlooks for all 30 teams. Click here for the other entries in this series.

The Red Sox are looking to add pieces for not just another trip to the postseason, but a deep march into October under new manager Alex Cora.

Guaranteed Contracts

David Price, SP: $157MM through 2022 (can opt out after 2018)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B: $56MM through 2021
Rick Porcello, SP: $42MM through 2019
Rusney Castillo, OF: $35.5MM through 2020 (can opt out after 2019)
Hanley Ramirez, 1B/DH: $22MM through 2018 ($22MM option for 2019 vests if Ramirez makes 497 plate appearances in 2018 and passes a physical after the season)
Craig Kimbrel, RP: $13MM through 2018
Chris Sale, SP: $12.5MM through 2018 ($15MM club option for 2019 with $1MM buyout)

Obligations To Former Players

Pablo Sandoval, 3B: $41MM through 2019 (includes buyout of 2020 club option), minus prorated MLB minimum salaries earned by Sandoval in that span

Arbitration Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Joe Kelly (5.029) – $3.6MM
Drew Pomeranz (5.013) – $9.1MM
Tyler Thornburg (4.057) – $2.1MM
Brock Holt (4.052) – $2.0MM
Xander Bogaerts (4.042) – $7.6MM
Jackie Bradley Jr. (3.150) – $5.9MM
Sandy Leon (3.149) – $2.1MM
Steven Wright (3.089) – $1.2MM
Mookie Betts (3.070) – $8.2MM
Brandon Workman (3.036) – $900K
Christian Vazquez (3.031) – $1.5MM
Carson Smith (3.028) – $1.1MM
Eduardo Rodriguez (2.130) – $2.7MM
Non-tender candidates: Holt, Leon

Free Agents

Addison Reed, Eduardo Nunez, Mitch Moreland, Chris Young, Rajai Davis, Doug Fister, Blaine Boyer, Fernando Abad, Robbie Ross, Josh Rutledge

Boston Red Sox offseason page | Boston Red Sox payroll information

John Farrell’s job security was a topic of speculation basically from the moment Dave Dombrowski was hired as the Red Sox president of baseball operations in August 2015. Despite division titles in each of the last two years, Boston’s early exits in the ALDS finally sealed Farrell’s fate, paving the way for Cora’s hiring. The former Astros bench coach is an intriguing hire, bringing both an appreciation for analytics and a wealth of in-game experience from his 11-year playing career. Cora only has one year of MLB coaching duty under his belt, though he received interest in past managerial openings even before his stint in Houston.

A fresh voice in the dugout may be what is required for a Red Sox team that, despite the AL East title, seemed to almost take a step backwards in 2017 thanks to an inconsistent offense and some ongoing injury problems that will extend into the 2018 season. Dombrowski’s first two offseasons in Boston largely consisted of a few blockbuster moves (i.e. the David Price signing, the trades for Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel) seen as final touch-type of acquisitions for a team that already has so much core talent in place. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Sox make another headline-grabbing transaction to address weak spots on the roster.

Some type of infield depth would seem to be a need given that Dustin Pedroia will be out of action until at least late May or early June due to knee surgery. Some combination of Marco Hernandez, Deven Marrero, Tzu-Wei Lin, and (if he returns) Brock Holt could fill in until Pedroia is ready, though relying on internal options for a third of the season is risky, not to mention the fact that Pedroia may not be 100 percent when he does return.

A reunion with Eduardo Nunez could be an answer to this problem, as Nunez could play second base until Pedroia is back, and then shift into a utility role. Nunez is going to be in high demand this offseason with teams that could offer him everyday playing time, however, as Nunez doesn’t have much of a path to regular at-bats in Boston with Pedroia (eventually), Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, and Jackie Bradley Jr. all locked into regular duty around the diamond.

Of course, that assumes that the Sox wouldn’t trade from that core to address another need. Bradley has often been cited as the most expendable member of Boston’s starting outfield, and with Benintendi capable of shifting over to handle center field, Bradley could be dealt for a heavy-hitting first baseman or left fielder.

Power is a clear priority for the Red Sox this winter, coming off a year that saw Boston hit fewer homers than all but three other teams in baseball. A full season for Devers will help in this department, as will Betts and Bogaerts recovering from nagging thumb and wrist injuries, though the simplest solution might be to just add a big bopper in free agency or via trade.

Eric Hosmer or Carlos Santana will get some attention from the Red Sox this winter in the free agent first base market, plus possible trade candidates like Jose Abreu also figure to be on the radar. If the Sox don’t want to make quite that big a splash, Logan Morrison or Yonder Alonso stand out as second-tier options.

Since prospect Sam Travis is still in the picture and Hanley Ramirez could see more action at first after undergoing shoulder surgery, the Sox could look for a first baseman on a shorter-term deal, akin to their signing of Mitch Moreland last offseason. That said, Boston figures to be looking for more than a band-aid solution at first base. Ramirez may be close to being a full-time DH at this point in his career, and Travis only had a so-so 2017 after missing much of 2016 due to knee surgery.

One creative answer would be to sign Alex Avila — a left-handed hitting catcher who has some first base experience. Avila could then spell both Travis/Ramirez at first, and also Christian Vazquez behind the plate. Vazquez brings outstanding defense and he took a notable step forward at the plate in 2017, but is still a below-average hitter overall. Adding Avila into a timeshare situation at multiple positions would allow the Red Sox to boost their lineup while still retaining Vazquez as an important regular. Such a move would necessitate letting Sandy Leon go, though he regressed badly after his seeming breakout in the 2016 season.

If a Bradley trade scenario happens, that opens up left field and the possibility of J.D. Martinez in Boston. Martinez is the top free agent bat available this offseason and he has past ties to Dombrowski from their days together with the Tigers. The trade market also holds out some potential for adding power to the corner outfield, with Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates and Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins among the possibilities. It isn’t clear if Stanton would waive his no-trade protection to approve a deal to Boston, though the Red Sox are one of the few teams with the financial means to absorb the $295MM owed to Stanton through 2027. (There’s also a chance Boston’s hypothetical commitment wouldn’t last that long, as Stanton can opt out of his deal after the 2020 season.) A Stanton/Red Sox trade could also see the Marlins take on a big Sox salary or two in return to help offset Stanton’s cost — this could be a way for the Red Sox to get Rusney Castillo’s contract off the books, for instance — though Miami’s goal seems to be to shed as much salary as possible.

Dangling Bradley in a trade would not just clear space, of course. Trading a player of his ability wouldn’t be undertaken lightly, even if it was done to make way for a new star. The market would likely pay quite a bit for Bradley even after a down 2017 season, which might allow the Sox to recoup prospect assets and/or address other needs on the roster.

Adding another big salary would push the Sox back over the luxury tax threshold, though as Dombrowski bluntly stated to reporters, this doesn’t appear to be a big concern. Avoiding the tax might’ve been unavoidable anyway (as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe recently observed) given the team’s needs. This will have the effect of limiting what the Red Sox could potentially do next offseason when multiple superstars hit the free agent market, though it could be argued that the Sox now have the opportunity to more aggressively shop for talent this winter if other big-market teams are curbing their spending in preparation for next winter.

On the pitching side, the Sox bullpen was quietly a major strength for the team last year, and should continue to be a plus even if Addison Reed, Fernando Abad, and Blaine Boyer all leave in free agency. (The club has already parted ways with Robbie Ross after his injury-plagued year.) These departures could be filled from within if Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg are finally healthy, plus youngsters Austin Maddox or Williams Jerez could be ready for some steady big league exposure.

Dombrowski has made a point of trading for relievers in his first two offseasons in Boston, so a new bullpen arm may be more likely to come via the trade market than free agency. Then again, with the major exception of the Kimbrel deal, the Sox haven’t gotten much return on those reliever trades, so Dombrowski could switch tactics and look to the open market for upgrades. The precise approach may depend upon how Boston ends up addressing the primary needs discussed above. Expect a focus on southpaws, as the pen is short on proven left-handed relievers.

The rotation could potentially also be an area of need, depending on how some injury situations progress during the spring. David Price is hoping to be finally past the elbow problems limited him to just 74 2/3 IP last season, Steven Wright is returning from knee surgery that cost him almost all of 2017, and Eduardo Rodriguez will already be sidelined for until May or even June as he recovers from his own knee surgery. Assuming Price and Wright are both fully recovered, the Red Sox face a possible “good problem to have” starter surplus when Rodriguez gets back.

If more health uncertainty develops during the offseason or in Spring Training, however, the Sox will check in on veteran starters for depth. Unless a longer-term injury crops up, the team isn’t likely to pursue anything beyond innings-eating veteran options. Dombrowski mentioned last winter how he had a tough time attracting pitchers due to the number of other starting options already on Boston’s roster, and, barring a trade, the same is true of the 2018 staff.

There is no shortage of potential moves, big or small, that could fit for the Red Sox this offseason, and Dombrowski has certainly shown his willingness to make some bold transactions. It could be that Cora and a healthier lineup are the real “final pieces” the Sox need to challenge for a World Series next year, though it seems likely that one more star name will find his way to Fenway Park before Opening Day.

AL Notes: Cora, Tigers, Astros

By Kyle Downing | November 5, 2017 at 10:56pm CDT

There are many reasons that Alex Cora is the right man to manage the Red Sox. As Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald points out, the fact that he’s Latino only adds to that list. Cora is the 47th manager in the history of the Red Sox franchise, and, up until now, every single one of them had been white. The former middle infielder will be involved with a front office that is mostly white while managing a team on the field that has often been predominantly black and hispanic. Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy has stressed that Cora’s minority status is “a bonus rather than impetus”, but regardless, it looks great for a franchise that took 12 years longer to integrate their roster than the first MLB team to do so. Interestingly, Silverman notes that in 2017, 43 percent of major league baseball players were players of color, while only three of 30 managers were non-white.

Headlines

Red Sox Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect