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Red Sox Option Vaughn Grissom

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The Red Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve optioned infielder Vaughn Grissom and pitchers Luis Guerrero and Josh Winckowski to minor league camp. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel first reported the Grissom move. Boston also reassigned non-roster invitees Nathan Hickey and Mark Kolozsvary.

Grissom entered spring in the mix for Boston’s Opening Day second base job. He and David Hamilton were trying to hold off top middle infield prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer. The Alex Bregman signing muddled the picture, but it seems the Sox intend to keep the longtime third baseman at the hot corner.

Bregman hasn’t played any second base this spring. Manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Chad Jennings of The Athletic) that the Sox don’t intend to get Rafael Devers any third base reps in camp. With Masataka Yoshida expected to open the season on the injured list, Devers will probably start the year as a full-time designated hitter while Bregman handles third.

Acquired from the Braves for Chris Sale in the 2023-24 offseason, Grissom had a rough first year with the Sox. He missed time with strains in both hamstrings and didn’t hit when healthy. He managed a .190/.246/.219 slash without a home run in 114 MLB plate appearances. Hamilton jumped him for the majority of the second base playing time down the stretch. Grissom spent a good chunk of the year at Triple-A Worcester.

A healthy offseason provided some hope that the 24-year-old would recapture the promising offensive form he has shown in the minors. He didn’t show much in camp, though, as he hit .176 without a homer in 14 games. He’s no longer in the running for a spot on the Opening Day roster. He’ll begin the year back in Worcester. Grissom has an excellent .307/.408/.459 slash in nearly 700 Triple-A plate appearances over the last two seasons. His plate discipline still makes him an intriguing player, but he has dropped down the organization’s middle infield depth chart.

Hamilton, Campbell and Mayer remain on the major league side of camp. The lefty-swinging Hamilton is the only member of that trio who is on the 40-man roster or has MLB experience. He hit .248/.303/.395 with eight homers and 33 stolen bases over 98 games last season. He has swiped five more bases with a pair of homers while batting .239 over 18 games this spring.

Mayer and Campbell are generally ranked among the top prospects in the sport. Mayer, who hasn’t played in Triple-A, hit .307/.370/.480 over 335 Double-A plate appearances last season. He’s hitting .357/.438/.536 in an impressive spring showing. Mayer has never played second base in the minors — all but two of his appearances have come at shortstop — but he’s getting reps on the right side of the bag in camp. Trevor Story is locked in at shortstop, so it makes sense to get Mayer reps at other positions.

Campbell is primarily a second baseman who has experience in the outfield and at third base. He improved his stock more than any other minor leaguer last season. The 2023 fourth-rounder hit .330/.439/.558 to reach Triple-A in his first full professional season. He has had a tough Spring Training. Campbell has fanned in a third of his plate appearances while batting .158 in 45 plate appearances. While that doesn’t mean much for his prospect status, it’s something the Sox will need to weigh as they decide whether he should break camp.

Red Sox Notes: Abreu, Devers, Newcomb

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Red Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu has been out of action this spring due to a gastrointestinal virus that, as of last week, had kept the 25-year-old from even swinging a bat this spring. That led to plenty of questions about whether or not he would be ready in time for Opening Day, but as noted by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic yesterday, he was cleared to play in today’s Grapefruit League game.

It was a major step forward for Abreu, who told reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive) that he expects to be ready for Opening Day later this month after acknowledging that he’ll need “some more reps” before he’s in regular season form. Notably, Abreu lost considerable weight as a result of the virus but has said that he doesn’t view that weight loss as a concern as he still feels as strong and mobile as ever. If Abreu does prove to be ready for Opening Day, that would be a major relief for a Red Sox lineup that appears poised to rely on a platoon of him and Rob Refsnyder in right field this season. The sixth place finisher in AL Rookie of the Year voting last year, Abreu won a Gold Glove for his work in right field while hitting .253/.322/.459 (114 wRC+), including a 126 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.

Abreu was joined in his return to the lineup by star teammate Rafael Devers. Devers has gotten plenty of attention this spring after the club’s signing of third baseman Alex Bregman, as the Red Sox have thusfar refused to anoint either Devers or Bregman as the Opening Day third baseman in the aftermath of Devers’s vocal opposition to a move off the hot corner. The slugger has struck a more conciliatory tone in recent days, however, as Bregman has been used almost exclusively at third this spring while Devers was slowed in camp after rehabbing a shoulder injury throughout the offseason. Devers was back in the lineup alongside Abreu today, however, and manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Smith) that the duo will get time on the backfields tomorrow before returning to the lineup on Monday as they ease back into regular playing time.

With Devers and Abreu both seemingly making good pace to start for the Red Sox on Opening Day, much of the intrigue in the final weeks of Red Sox camp seems likely to be focused on the rotation. Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Tanner Houck will feature in the club’s starting five, but the last two spots are up for grabs after Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford were all delayed in camp by various injuries. 40-man roster arms Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, and Quinn Priester have long been known to be in the conversation for those spots, but Cora told reporters (including Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe) today that non-roster southpaw Sean Newcomb is also in the mix for a rotation job.

Newcomb, 31, was a first-round pick by the Angels back in 2014 and had success in both the rotation and bullpen with Atlanta during the early years of his career. He posted a 3.87 ERA and 4.17 FIP in 332 1/3 innings of work across the 2017 to 2019 seasons, but the wheels came off during the shortened 2020 season and he’s struggled every since. Over the past five seasons, he’s posted a 6.66 ERA with a 5.49 FIP in 98 2/3 innings, the majority of which came out of the bullpen. The southpaw has been nothing short of dominant for the Red Sox this spring, however, and his 0.93 ERA in 9 2/3 frames has seemingly given Boston’s decision-makers enough to think about that he has a chance at starting the season not just on the roster, but in the rotation.

Rafael Devers Reportedly Considered Asking For Trade

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The Red Sox made a big free agent splash by signing Alex Bregman, but it seems to have led to some unintended consequences. Rafael Devers has clearly not been enthused by the addition and Sean McAdam of MassLive reports that Devers even considered asking for a trade.

Whether he actually asked for a trade or not isn’t known. He spoke to the media yesterday, saying that he had some private conversations with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Álex Cora, but without going into detail about how those conversations went.

He struck a conciliatory tone yesterday, saying that he will play wherever the team tells him to play, but he previously made it clear that he would prefer to stay at third base. When discussing the situation a month ago, he insisted that he was a third baseman and intended to stay a third baseman.

When he signed a mega extension in January of 2023, Devers was promised he could be the club’s long-term third baseman. However, that promise was made under CBO Chaim Bloom, who is no longer with the club. The latest drama suggests the Breslow regime isn’t so committed to keeping that promise. Per McAdam’s report today, Devers was assured throughout this offseason that the speculation surrounding Boston’s interest in Bregman and Nolan Arenado were just speculative.

Once Bregman signed, some believed that he would take over second base, with Devers staying at third. But more recently, Bregman has continued to line up at the hot corner during spring contests, making it seem as though a move to second base isn’t an immediate concern. Devers has been slow-playing his spring ramp up. He had some soreness in both shoulders last year and spent the winter trying to strengthen both of them. He came into camp a bit behind everyone else and has been taking part in some live BP and intrasquad games, but no official action yet.

While no public declaration has been made, it certainly seems as though the plan is for Bregman to take over third base while Devers serves as the designated hitter. It’s always been expected that Devers would be moved off the hot corner, since he’s not a good fielder. He has tallies of -62 Defensive Runs Saved and -29 Outs Above Average in his career. Moving to first base or DH at some point has been seen as inevitable, but this seems to have arrived sooner than anyone anticipated, certainly sooner than what Devers had been promised a couple of years ago.

While he shifted his public comments, it’s anyone’s guess if he has changed his private feelings on the matter. It will be a situation to watch throughout the season, as little is carved in stone. Bregman’s deal affords him opt-out chances after each year, so it’s possible he could be gone by November. Maybe Devers will be able to take his position again in 2026 but the club probably still considers him a liability there.

His deal runs through 2033, so a move to first base or DH feels like his eventually destiny, but perhaps he can carve out a few more years at third before that becomes permanent. Notably, that deal does not afford him any no-trade protection. If the relationship between Devers and the front office is damaged beyond repair, they could freely trade him wherever they want without having to worry about his preferences. As noted by McAdam, the team isn’t going to publicly say anything if they are trying to trade Devers, since that would be bad for leverage. And there’s no indication that they have any plans on making him available.

How the dominos fall over the rest of this year and into the future could have other impacts. Triston Casas projects as the club’s regular first baseman for now. Masataka Yoshida is not a great defensive outfielder, which makes him another DH candidate. With Devers now perhaps moving off third, Yoshida might have to spend more time in the outfield next to Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Roman Anthony. Prospect Kristian Campbell is another outfield candidate but he can also play second base. Then again, the club has Trevor Story at short with prospect Marcelo Mayer working into the middle infield mix.

Given all those moving pieces, there are have been trade rumors surrounding Casas, Yoshida and Abreu over the winter. The idea of Devers being available never seemed to be a consideration but is perhaps a bit more feasible in light of the apparent souring of relations over the past month. If a Devers trade becomes a realistic possibility at some point in the future, it could also impact Arenado’s market. The Cards weren’t able to execute an Arenado trade this offseason but would probably try again at the deadline or in future offseasons.

Rafael Devers Discusses Role With Red Sox

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Ever since the Red Sox signed Alex Bregman, there’s been an unanswered question about how he’ll fit onto the roster. The club already had Rafael Devers at third base and he seemed disinterested in moving anywhere else when discussing the matter last month. Devers spoke with the media again today with a slightly different tone, as relayed by reporters including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic and Sean McAdam of MassLive.

Devers revealed that he has shared some thoughts with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Álex Cora, but didn’t go into detail about what he said in those conversations. “We spoke already, and I’m good to do whatever they want me to do,” said Devers through translator Daveson Perez. “I’m here to help. I’ve already spoken with them about that, and they know where I stand. I’m just ready to play.”

He was also asked how he would feel if he were the designated hitter on Opening Day, with Bregman at third. “Good,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s not my decision. I don’t call the shots around here. So I feel good. I’ll go out there and do what I need to do.”

There are a few elements making the situation awkward. Bregman is clearly the better defender, for one. For his career, Devers has tallies of -62 Defensive Runs Saved and -29 Outs Above Average at the hot corner. Bregman has +27 DRS and +22 OAA. Devers also battled soreness in both shoulders last year and spent most of the winter trying to build strength in those shoulders. He has been a bit behind schedule in terms of game action. He still hasn’t appeared in any official spring contests, just live batting practice and intrasquad games.

Devers tried to downplay the issue with his shoulders today. “I really don’t know why there’s been such a big deal made about my shoulders,” Devers said. “Since the first day here at camp, I’ve been saying that my shoulders are good, and that they’re good right now. So I don’t know why it’s been put out there, the rumors of my shoulders being bad, but they’re good right now.”

Though there are on-paper reasons to put Bregman at third, Devers has understandably been less than thrilled by the changes. Last month, he said that he was promised he could be a long-term third baseman when he signed his ten-year extension in January of 2023. But it was implied by Cora that the third base promise was made by previous CBO Chaim Bloom, who was later fired and now works for the Cardinals.

It had been speculated that the Sox could move Bregman to second base, where he has some limited experience, while having Devers at third. But Bregman has only been at the hot corner during spring, so moving him to the keystone doesn’t seem to be in the short-term plans. Perhaps that suggests Devers will be a primary designated hitter this year, though no firm declarations to that effect have been publicly made by any team personnel.

If Devers is the DH on something like an everyday basis, that would mean Masataka Yoshida would have to be in the outfield mix. It’s possible that Yoshida could start the season on the IL due to his own shoulder injury, though he may have to try to crack the outfield mix whenever he’s healthy.

As of now, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu project as the regular outfielders, though Abreu will start the season on the IL as he recovers from a gastrointestinal virus. Rob Refsnyder might get more playing time in the short term, or perhaps non-roster invitee Trayce Thompson. As the season goes along, prospects Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell might factor in, though Campbell could also take the second base job if Bregman isn’t in it. Guys like David Hamilton, Romy González, Nick Sogard or Vaughn Grissom could hold the keystone for the time being.

There are still many moving pieces and the arrangement on Opening Day might be very different from the way the club lines up throughout the year, depending on health and performance. But it will be a situation worth watching, both this year and down the road. Bregman can opt out of his contract after each year, so he might not be in Boston in 2026. However, Devers’ poor defense has often led to speculation about him moving to first base or DH at some point. If the Sox decide to move him off now, they may not want to move him back next year even if Bregman is gone.

For now, Devers has made his position clear to the club’s decision makers but has also accepted that the situation is out of his control. “I just want to help the team win,” he said today. “At the end of the day, whatever position I’m playing, I always take these things as a competition and as a way to get better. That’s how I see it, I’m ready to help the team win.”

Red Sox Notes: Third Base, Giolito, Murphy

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The Red Sox have been dealing with some tension around the infield this spring, as their recent acquisition of Alex Bregman has led to questions about where Bregman—and, by extension, Rafael Devers—will play in 2024. Bregman is the superior defender at third base, but Devers to publicly emphasized that his position is third base. Meanwhile, team officials have refused to declare either Devers or Bregman the starting third baseman to this point. Today, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow spoke to reporters (including MassLive’s Sean McAdam) about the situation, and downplayed the severity of any clubhouse issues that could arise over the team’s infield alignment.

“I think having really good players that are talking about positions is not a terrible place to be in,” Breslow said, as relayed by McAdam. “…my obligation is to put the best team on the field, on both offense and defense that I can possibly can… So we’ll continue to have those conversations.”

Breslow’s comments seem to clearly indicate that the club has no intention of handing him the third base job out of respect for his tenure at the position. Given that the club seems to be staying the course of determining its infield alignment based on performance this spring, Breslow noted that he has confidence in the ability of manager Alex Cora to handle any concerns within the clubhouse resulting from the ongoing battle for third base.

“But part of the reason we as an organization feel that Alex is the perfect manager for the Red Sox is his ability to command a clubhouse, his ability to communicate with players across different cultures and ethnicities.” Breslow said, as relayed by McAdam. “He’s such a great communicator. …any time you have a talent roster, there are players who are going to want more playing time or fill different roles. You rely on the manager to be able to have those conversations and get everybody moving in the same direction.”

Should Bregman ultimately be installed at the hot corner with Devers moving to DH, Cora’s ability to communicate and command the clubhouse may be put to the test. Devers has long maintained his desire to stick at third base and has clearly expressed a very strong preference to remain at the hot corner all throughout his career, and Cora himself has even acknowledged that Devers was promised that he’d be the club’s third baseman long term when he signed a 10-year extension with the club prior to the 2023 season. Of course, that pact came under former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom rather than Breslow, opening the door to the tensions the Red Sox are facing today.

Elsewhere on the roster, the Red Sox are dealing with a number of injury woes impacting their rotation. Kutter Crawford, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito are all behind at this point in camp due to various ailments, but Christopher Smith of MassLive relayed a positive update on the status of Giolito. While Giolito has been a bit slow out of the gate this year as he continues to recover from the internal brace procedure he underwent last spring, he noted earlier this winter that he expects to be ready for Opening Day. Per Smith, a major step in the right-hander’s process of preparing for the start of the season will take place tomorrow, when he’s scheduled to throw his first live batting practice since going under he knife last year.

Giolito’s status entering the season figures to take on outsized importance for the Red Sox given the fact that both Crawford and Bello are nursing injury situations of their own. Smith adds that Bello threw from 90 feet today as he battles back from a bout of shoulder soreness, and that his progression from here will be determined by a strength test later today. As for Crawford, the right-hander is still feeling discomfort due to his patellar tendon in long toss and bullpen sessions. It’s a worrying sign for the right-hander, who pitched through knee issues for much of the 2024 season. Those problems have lingered into the start of camp this year and appear to be putting Crawford’s availability for Opening Day in doubt.

In more pleasant injury news, Smith writes that southpaw Chris Murphy has resumed throwing bullpens after undergoing Tommy John surgery back in April. The southpaw isn’t expected to be a factor for the Red Sox in at least the early part of the year year, but Smith relays that Murphy hopes to pitch in the majors at some point in 2025 wouldn’t completely rule out a return in the first half of the season. For now, he’s taking things slowly with 10- and 15-pitch bullpen sessions, both of which featured exclusively fastballs.

A return late in the first half or even at some point in the second half would be a welcome development for the Red Sox, as the 26-year-old looked like an interesting piece during his rookie season back in 2023. The lefty appeared in 20 games for Boston as a multi-inning reliever, and while his 4.91 ERA in those 47 2/3 innings was fairly lackluster he still managed to open some eyes thanks to a solid 23.1% strikeout rate and a 3.70 FIP. Once he’s healthy, the southpaw could compete with players like Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski for a spot as a long man in the Red Sox bullpen this year.

Devers: “My Position Is Third Base”

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The Red Sox finalized their three-year deal with Alex Bregman over the weekend. While it’s generally expected that Bregman will move to second base in his new home, skipper Alex Cora was noncommittal about their infield on Saturday.

Rafael Devers’ camp has made clear all offseason that the Sox’s longtime third baseman has no interest in a position change. Devers forcefully stated as much when speaking to the Boston beat this morning. “No. I play third,” he said through an interpreter when asked about his willingness to move off the position (link via Chris Cotillo of MassLive). “It’s my decision … My position is third base. Whatever it is they want to do is what they want to do. But my position is third base.”

Cora again reiterated that the Red Sox haven’t made any decisions. “He’s going to work out as the third baseman. And we’re going to make decisions accordingly. Here, it’s not about Bregman or Devers or Cora,” the manager said. “It’s for the Boston Red Sox. Whatever decision we make is going to be for the benefit of the team.”

Interestingly, Cora acknowledged that the Red Sox promised Devers that he’d be their long-term third baseman at the time the sides agreed on a 10-year extension in January 2023. That agreement came under a previous front office regime, as then-chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was fired eight months later. Craig Breslow is now running baseball operations. Cora downplayed the significance of that promise as a result, saying it was under “different leadership. That was under Chaim” (relayed by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic). Of course, Cora was the manager at the time of the extension, so there hasn’t been a leadership change in the clubhouse.

Devers was asked whether he’d seek a trade if the Red Sox forced him to move off third base. He didn’t rule that out but said it hasn’t been a focus. “That’s a tough answer to give. I haven’t given it much thought. I’ve been here my entire career,” he said (via McCaffrey). “I haven’t asked myself that question. I’m open to listening. I’m not close to those conversations.”

The most straightforward solution is still to keep Devers at third base and move Bregman to second. That’d block the clearest path to playing time for top prospect Kristian Campbell, who combined for a .330/.439/.558 slash in an incredible first full minor league season. Campbell had a roughly even share of playing time at each of second base, shortstop and in center field. He also picked up a few starts at third base.

While Boston could have Campbell open the season in Triple-A Worcester, they should be able to find ways to get him into the lineup if they feel he’s ready for an MLB call. If the Sox preferred to keep him at one position as a rookie, second base was the obvious choice before the Bregman signing. Unless they force Devers’ hand by pushing him to DH, they’d need to use Campbell in more of a utility role (at least until someone gets injured).

Campbell is versatile enough to bounce around while still playing regularly. He could spell Trevor Story at shortstop while rotating through the outfield. He’s unlikely to be as good a defensive center fielder as Ceddanne Rafaela, but he’d bring a higher offensive ceiling. Campbell’s right-handed bat could complement the lefty-swinging corner outfield tandem of Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, as well as lefty-hitting DH Masataka Yoshida. Duran will play almost every day regardless of the opposing pitchers’ handedness. The Sox could use Abreu and/or Yoshida in more of a platoon capacity.

There’d be a defensive tradeoff. Devers has graded as a below-average defender in essentially every season of his career. Defensive Runs Saved had him nine runs below par last year, while Statcast graded him at five runs below average. Bregman rated 5-6 runs above average by those metrics and is coming off his first Gold Glove win. Bregman shouldn’t have much issue moving to second base. He’s a good athlete who likely would have spent most of his career in the middle infield had he not broken into an Astros team that had Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve. Still, there’d be a stronger defensive alignment with Bregman at third and one of Campbell or David Hamilton at second base.

For the Sox, the question is whether that’s worth alienating a player they’ve viewed as one of the faces of the franchise. Devers is signed through age 36. His defensive grades aren’t likely to improve as he approaches his 30s. At some point, the Sox are likely to push him off the position. Story and Bregman are each signed for three more seasons. They can both opt out after this year, though that seems unlikely for Story and at least debatable for Bregman (who’d be leaving a $40MM average annual value on the table).

Even if they’re comfortable using Campbell in a utility role for a season, they’ll probably want an everyday infield position available for him and top shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer by next year. This should be workable in the short term but could pose some interesting questions before long.

Red Sox Undecided On Infield Alignment Following Alex Bregman Deal

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The Red Sox officially inked star infielder Alex Bregman to a three-year deal earlier today, and the assumption to this point has been that Bregman would slide into the club’s vacancy at second base. While Bregman played third base throughout his time in Houston and won a Gold Glove award for his work at the position last year, he made clear at the outset of the offseason that he was willing to slide over to the keystone if his new team so desired. Incumbent star Rafael Devers is entrenched at third base in Boston and has made his preference to remain at the position plain over the years, so Devers at third and Bregman at second seemed like the cleanest way for the club to sort out its positional conundrum. It may not wind up being that simple, however. As relayed by Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was noncommittal about the club’s infield plans.

“We’ll talk about that later on,” Cora said when asked where Bregman will play, as relayed by Cotillo. “Right now, there’s a lot of stuff going on as far as we’re going to be roster-wise. We’ll make the decision when we have to make it… He’s a Gold Glove third baseman. He hasn’t played second base in the big leagues. I do believe he can be a Gold Glove second baseman, too. There’s other stuff that comes into play as far as roster construction and what’s better for the team and what can be the best lineup.”

Cotillo reports that Cora’s hesitance to name a defined position for Bregman reflects real uncertainty within the organization about how the club’s lineup with shake out from a positional standpoint. According to Cotillo, the club is making an effort to keep a path open for top infield prospect Kristian Campbell to break camp with the team on Opening Day. Campbell has experience at shortstop and in the outfield but has long seemed best suited for second base with the Red Sox. Cotillo suggests that Bregman could see time at both second and third base if Campbell makes the club’s roster, while Campbell himself could see time in left field in addition to his work at the keystone with Jarren Duran moving over to center. Devers, presumably, would slide over to DH on days where Bregman is at the hot corner.

If Campbell is ready for his big league debut, it’s hard to argue with the logic in keeping an open mind about how to make the pieces fit in the lineup. While Devers has been adamant about his desire to continue playing the field, Bregman and Campbell would likely be a more robust pairing defensively than Devers and Bregman given Bregman’s lack of experience at second base and Devers’s lackluster defensive numbers. It’s also not hard to imagine Campbell providing more on offense than the players who could have their playing time impacted by the decision to roster both Campbell and Bregman. In particular, Cotillo notes that Masataka Yoshida and Ceddanne Rafaela could be at risk of having their playing time reduced or even losing their roster spots if Campbell makes the team out of camp.

Speculatively speaking, it would be possible to get both players in the lineup on occasion even with Campbell in the fold. If the club were to play Bregman at third base with Campbell at second against left-handed pitching, that would likely push Devers to DH and Yoshida to the bench. That would allow Duran to play left field with Rafaela’s superior glove in center. Against right-handers, Devers could reclaim the hot corner with Bregman moving to the key stone, Campbell heading to left field, and Duran sliding over to center with Rafaela on the bench. Yoshida is a career .239/.318/.351 hitter against southpaws and playing him in a strict platoon role may be Boston’s preference regardless of how the decision regarding Campbell shakes out.

The righty-swinging Rafaela has reverse splits to this point in his young career, which would make him an imperfect choice to start primarily against lefty pitchers, but his true calling card is his defense and a combination of Duran, Rafaela, and Rob Refsnyder on the grass against southpaws would give the Red Sox an excellent defensive outfield. With that being said, if the Red Sox hope to develop Rafaela into a true everyday player at some point rather than the super utility role he currently finds himself in, the club may prefer to get him everyday playing time in Triple-A rather than sporadic reps in the majors. It’s also worth noting that carrying all three of Campbell, Rafaela, and Yoshida on the roster would effectively shrink the club’s bench, leaving just one roster spot available for Romy Gonzalez, David Hamilton, and Vaughn Grissom.

Of course, all of this is predicated on Campbell hitting well enough this spring to earn a spot on the club’s Opening Day roster. Should Campbell look over-matched this spring, it seems likely the club would simply allow him more time to develop at Triple-A and use Bregman at second base on a regular basis until and unless Campbell earns a promotion to the majors. Even if Campbell can’t crack the big league roster on Opening Day, however, it seems likely he’ll get his first taste of the majors at some point this year, and this latest reporting provides a meaningful glimpse at what the club’s thought process could look like if Campbell forces his way onto the roster later in the year after not making the cut this spring.

Triston Casas Discusses Trade Rumors

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First baseman Triston Casas’s name has been the subject of plenty of trade rumors this winter, even as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has roundly insisted that Casas is not being shopped. With the Red Sox apparently involved in the markets for both Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado, however, it’s not hard to see how adding another bat to the infield could spell the end of Casas’s time in Boston.

For his part, the soon-to-be 25-year-old slugger isn’t letting the noise get to him. As noted by Christopher Smith of MassLive, Casas acknowledged the possibility that he could be dealt if the right offer were to come along, adding that for the right package it could be in the “best interest” of the organization to move him or any player. Casas added that he’s been assured by the organization that there’s no substance behind rumors that he’s on the trading block before making clear that the rumors swirling around him this winter don’t bother him.

“I love Boston,” Casas said, as relayed by Smith. “I love everything about it and they’ve welcomed me with open arms since my first first professional day. So it would be great to play here as long as possible. I love the fans and they welcome me generously all the time. So I would love to play the rest of my career here. But if it’s elsewhere, I just feel like March 28, no matter where it’s at, I’m going to be playing major league games. So just focus on that.”

While he adds that he tries not to let the trade rumors “get to his head,” he reiterated his love for Boston and desire to stay in the organization long-term. That affirmation comes nearly a year after reported extension talks between the two sides, though those discussions ultimately did not lead to a deal. It appears there’s been no recent discussions about an extension, either, as Casas told reporters (including Rob Bradford of WEEI) today while appearing at the club’s Fenway Fest event that the sides have not talked about an extension since last winter.

Even setting aside the trade rumors, it’s not necessarily a shock that Casas and the Red Sox haven’t talked extension in the aftermath of the 2024 campaign. After all, last year was a difficult one for Casas. He spent much of the season on the injured list due to torn cartilage in his ribcage and when healthy enough to take the field slashed just .241/.337/.462 while striking out at a concerning 31.7% clip.

That production was still good for a 119 wRC+ overall, but that’s a step back from the 130 he posted in 2023. After an injury-marred down season that exposed a potential red flag in the form of an increased strikeout rate, the Red Sox are surely hoping to gather more information about both Casas and their outlook around the diamond before committing to him long-term. Meanwhile, Casas surely is hoping to quell any doubts caused by 2024 with a full, healthy season before he signs a long-term deal.

Turning back to the possibility of the Red Sox pursuing Bregman or Arenado, the connection between those pursuits and the possibility of a Casas trade hinges on the possibility of installing either of those additions at third base, causing incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers to move to first base. Manager Alex Cora discussed the possibility of moving Devers off the hot corner at Fenway Fest today, as noted by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. According to Cora, the club has not yet discussed a change of positions with Devers and that they would discuss the possibility with him before they get to the point of adding a new third baseman to the lineup. That generally tracks with the comments made by Breslow last month, which indicated the club has no current plans to move Devers off third base.

Craig Breslow Discusses Casas, Bregman, Devers

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Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow met with the Boston beat on Monday to discuss the team’s offseason. MLBTR has already relayed Breslow’s notes on Lucas Giolito and Roki Sasaki, respectively. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and Alex Speier of the Boston Globe were among those to cover Breslow’s other comments.

Most notably, the CBO pushed back against trade rumors swirling around first baseman Triston Casas. “I’m not totally sure where it comes from. We’re not shopping Triston,” Breslow said. “We see him as a guy that can hit in the middle of the lineup for a really long time here in Boston. I’ve seen some of the speculation about what deals may or may not have existed, or what may or may not have been proposed, and there was nothing that was remotely close. We’re certainly not shopping him.”

Reporting has generally characterized the Sox as being open to a Casas trade without suggesting they’re actively trying to deal him. That has been most prevalent in the context of attempting to line up a deal with Seattle for a controllable starter. Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reported during the Winter Meetings that the Mariners had rebuffed interest from the Sox in swapping Casas for a young starter like Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller. Boston has seemingly not had interest in a Casas for Luis Castillo framework. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote last week that the Sox would’ve wanted Seattle to take on the underwater Masataka Yoshida contract in that situation.

In any case, it looks increasingly likely that Casas will remain on the Red Sox going into next season. Boston has added Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to a rotation that already included Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford. Giolito is shooting for an Opening Day return from internal brace surgery. That gives the Sox at least six viable starters, while Cooper Criswell and Richard Fitts are on hand as depth options. Garrett Whitlock is likely to kick back to the bullpen once he returns from his own elbow surgery.

While the rotation may no longer be a priority, Breslow highlighted two longstanding target areas: a right-handed bat and the bullpen. They’ve made progress in the latter area, bringing in Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson to strengthen the left side. Whitlock and Liam Hendriks could step in alongside second-year pitcher Justin Slaten in the late innings. Whitlock, Hendriks, and Wilson all come with some durability question marks. Chapman’s scattershot command makes him something of a wild card. Slaten, who is just one season removed from being a Rule 5 selection, might be the team’s safest reliever.

Relief pitching is tough to project, and the Sox have a more volatile bullpen than most contenders. There’s a decent amount of upside, but it’s not surprising that Breslow indicated they’ll look for another addition. The free agent relief market has barely moved. Only three relievers — Clay Holmes, Blake Treinen and Yimi García — have signed multi-year deals. Holmes is stretching out as a starter after signing a three-year contract with the Mets. Chapman and Nick Martinez (who accepted a qualifying offer from Cincinnati) are the only other relievers to sign for a guarantee above $10MM.

The slowly-developing relief market in part reflects a weaker than average free agent group. However, the top two relievers, Tanner Scott and Jeff Hoffman, remain unsigned going into the new year. Carlos Estévez, Kirby Yates, A.J. Minter and David Robertson are other relievers who have yet to sign. Ryan Helsley is the top name on the trade market, though the Cardinals seem to prefer to hold him until the deadline.

In contrast to the bullpen, Boston has yet to make a move for a right-handed hitter aside from a trade for backup catcher Carlos Narváez. The Sox lost Tyler O’Neill from a group that was already very left-handed. Breslow reiterated that the Sox wanted impact production from “a right-handed bat out of the middle of the lineup.” He left open the possibility of internal improvements but noted they’re “certainly also engaged in conversations for players that aren’t yet in the organization.”

The top remaining free agent, righty-hitting infielder Alex Bregman, has been linked to the Sox in recent weeks. Asked whether the Sox are still involved on Bregman, Breslow pointed back to the need for right-handed hitting generally. “As you probably can imagine, I’m not going to speak about specific pursuits. I can say that right-handed bats that we feel like could play well at our park are certainly of interest to us, and we remain engaged on a number of fronts.”

Breslow added that the Red Sox aren’t looking to move Rafael Devers off the hot corner. That doesn’t rule out Bregman, who’d be a massive upgrade over Boston’s internal options at second base (i.e. Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez). Switch-hitting outfielders Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar are speculative possibilities. Pete Alonso may be the best unsigned right-handed hitter, but he’d be a tough roster fit unless the Sox deal Casas or can offload most of the Yoshida contract.

Mariners Turned Down Triston Casas Trade Offer From Red Sox

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The Mariners’ pitching depth over the last few seasons has drawn many teams into trade talks and it was almost exactly a year ago that reports surfaced about Boston’s interest in the Seattle rotation.  Nothing materialized between the two teams then, but Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of the Seattle Times report that earlier this offseason, the Red Sox offered first baseman Triston Casas for either Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo.  However, these “exploratory talks” then “didn’t progress any further,” as the M’s don’t have interest in trading from their rotation unless it is something of a last resort.

Given the contrasting strengths and weaknesses of the Mariners and Red Sox, a pitching-for-hitting swap would seem like an ideal answer to both team’s needs.  While Miller or Woo might not be precisely the kind of ace the Sox are looking for to reinforce their rotation, obviously both are talented young arms with upside and team control — neither Miller or Woo is eligible for arbitration yet, and both are controlled through the 2029 season.  Likewise, Casas is controlled through 2028 and has already shown glimpses of his potential at the MLB level.

Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has consistently turned down past offers for Miller, Woo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo.  Recent reports suggest that the M’s are at least open to hearing what teams have to say about Castillo (the oldest and highest-paid member of the rotation), but Divish and Jude write that “the Mariners….are not actively shopping Castillo.”

Nothing is stopping Dipoto from hearing what teams might have to say, just in case someone steps forth with an offer too good to refuse.  However, Dipoto told Divish and other reporters today that “our initial reluctance to any type of deeper discussions on trading starting pitching has probably resulted in a lot fewer phone calls than we’ve usually fielded to this point in the offseason.”

The result is perhaps something of a stalemate, as the Mariners are waiting for rival teams to lower their asking prices and other clubs are waiting for the M’s to become more open to the idea of trading from the rotation depth.  Things could evolve once some free agent pitchers come off the board, or perhaps if the Mariners themselves added a pitcher in the form of Roki Sasaki.  While virtually every team in baseball will be making an appeal to the Japanese ace now that his posting window is officially open, Seattle’s track record with both pitching development and star Japanese players would seemingly put the M’s move above most teams in the bidding process.

In the interim, it seems as though the Mariners will continue to focus on trying to trade from its minor league depth, except as Dipoto notes, “it’s the time where prospects aren’t a driver, where just about everybody is focused on major league players.  And I don’t know why that seems different to me now than it usually does, and maybe that too changes in a week or two with the free agent market really opening up.”

Since shortstop J.P. Crawford is the only established member of the Mariners’ infield, landing a promising first base talent like Casas would go a long way towards shoring up the infield and the shaky lineup as a whole.  That said, the Mariners have at least a part-time first base option already in Luke Raley, who looks to be getting a good chunk of playing time against right-handed pitching.

Since the M’s have been linked to such second or third base trade candidates as Nico Hoerner or Alec Bohm, it could be that Seattle might be trying to address one of those positions first before turning to the comparatively easier-to-fill position of first base.  An industry source told Divish and Jude that the Mariners could look into trying to add a third team into talks with the Cubs about Hoerner, perhaps to help cover some of the money owed in the remaining two years of Hoerner’s contract.

From Boston’s perspective, trading Casas wouldn’t necessarily create a vacancy at first base.  Rafael Devers is a subpar defender at third base, and reportedly the Sox have at least considered moving him to first base in order to open up the hot corner either for one of Boston’s up-and-coming infield prospects, or perhaps for a big free agent like Alex Bregman.  This remains a speculative topic for now, as manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe) today that he hasn’t spoken with Devers about a position change, and Cora in fact praised Devers’ third base work in 2024 as “outstanding.”

Then again, there is no shortage of gamesmanship going on during the offseason, as it was just last month that Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow downplayed the idea of trading Casas.  Reports then surfaced this past weekend that the Sox were considering the possibility of dealing Casas for pitching, and this apparent offer for Miller or Woo only reinforces the idea that Casas is far from an untouchable part of the Red Sox roster.  Of course, this also isn’t to say that Casas is going to be moved for anything less than a premium return.

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