The Boston Red Sox big offseason move could still be coming, but some low-key targets could be the difference next season in Fenway Park.
Giancarlo Stanton will not be on the Boston Red Sox roster next season. J.D. Martinez or Eric Hosmer may be, but beyond the big names, there are still some solid players that Boston could look to add.
We’ve heard the Jose Abreu rumors, the Carlos Santana rumors, and the Shohei Ohtani rumors, but nothing has really happened this offseason for the Red Sox. One of these smaller moves could be the starting put for Boston as they head in 2018 with a ton of questions still remaining.
The Red Sox would love to add a lefty or two to their bullpen, and they have a need at first base. Hanley Ramirez could play there defensively next season, but I don’t think that’s the ideal scenario for Alex Cora and Dave Dombrowski.
Here are 5 under-the-radar targets that the Boston Red Sox may have their eye on.
1B Matt Adams
Matt Adams, like Mitch Moreland in 2017, would be just a placeholder at first base until the real answer is found. He could get a two or three-year deal though. If Boston doesn’t sign Carlos Santana or Eric Hosmer, Adams is a logical fit. The 29-year old veteran has played six seasons in the majors, mostly with the Cardinals. He joined the Braves last season and performed fairly well.
Adams has a career average of .271 and has 75 home runs so far. Baseball Reference projects stats for 2018, and they think he’ll be able to put up 19 home runs and 65 RBI on the season. Last season, Moreland put up 22 home runs and 79 RBI, so the dropoff is not too significant. The difference in power numbers would be even easier to swallow if a big-time slugger is added to Boston’s lineup elsewhere.
RP Zach Duke
Zach Duke is a veteran that should be available for relatively cheap compared to other players. He has plenty of upside though. The wily veteran has been in the majors since 2005, spending time with the Pirates, Diamondbacks, Nationals, Reds, Brewers, White Sox, and Cardinals. Duke has a career 4.30 ERA, but he’s been better since 2014. In 2016 he had a 2.36 ERA in 61.0 innings pitched and was at 3.93 in 2017 after returning from Tommy John surgery from October 2016.
Boston needs left-handed pitchers badly, as Jalen Beeks, Roenis Elias, Williams Jerez, Brian Johnson, and Robby Scott are the only lefty relievers on the 40-man roster. Scott is likely the only lock to make the major league roster in 2018, so a few more arms will need to be added to the pen. If the Red Sox can get Duke fairly cheap, he could provide a great veteran presence will also contributing on the mound in 2018.
RP Jared Hughes
Jared Hughes was non-tendered by the Milwaukee Brewers this offseason. 2017 was his only season with them, and he put up solid numbers overall. In 59.2 innings pitched he had a 3.02 ERA with 48 strikeouts. The lefty spent the first six years of his major league career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but he was released late last March after a rough Spring Training. With the Bucs, Hughes had an ERA of 2.82 over 309.1 innings pitched. He’ll be just 32 in 2018, so Hughes surely still has a lot to offer a major league bullpen.
"According to MLB Trade Rumors, Hughes is “a groundball specialist who has generated excellent results despite a dearth of strikeouts, Hughes isn’t all that dissimilar to more hyped free agent Brandon Kintzler.”"
The Red Sox would likely be able to count on Hughes for 60 innings and a sub 3.75 ERA in 2018, and that could go a long way towards helping the club win a World Series title.
SS Ryan Goins
The Boston Red Sox will be without Dustin Pedroia to begin the 2018 campaign, and they will need some help from utility middle infielders. Brock Holt and Eduardo Nunez make sense for Boston to fill this role, but if they want to go in another direction they could be interested in Ryan Goins. He’ll turn 30 before the 2018 season, but he’s only been in the major leagues for 5 full seasons.
In 2017, Goins hit .237 with 9 home runs and 62 RBI for the Toronto Blue Jays, but he’s even more important as a defender. He appeared in 87 games as a shortstop and 56 as a second baseman last season, and he committed just 7 errors in 504 chances. That .986 fielding percentage would be huge for Boston while Pedroia is out.
Brock Holt is recovering from ongoing vertigo he experienced last season, so he will bounce back, but Eduardo Nunez is the best choice hands down. After joining the Red Sox late last season, he hit .321 with 8 home runs and 27 RBI in just 38 games. So, middle infield is not a huge need for Boston, but it is something to keep your eyes on.
1B Logan Morrison
While Eric Hosmer is the top-option among free agent first basemen, Logan Morrison would be a great addition to the Red Sox. He’ll come cheaper than Hosmer will, and if Boston plans to add another big name (like J.D. Martinez) Morrison could put them over the top. Offensively, he actually had a better 2017 power season than Hosmer did. Morrison hit just .246 but he belted 38 home runs and added 85 RBI for the Tampa Bay Rays. Hosmer meanwhile, hit .318 with 25 home runs and 94 RBI.
Morrison is projected to hit 26 home runs next season, and in this Red Sox lineup that could translate to 90+ RBI.
Next: Hanley is healthy for Boston in 2018
It’s still a bit unclear what Boston’s 2017-18 offseason plan is, but big bats and lefty relievers are clearly needed. The Red Sox don’t have to be in on every single big name, but they will have to look at some second-tier guys that can make an impact. Any of these 5 under-the-radar targets could help to put Boston over the top in 2018 to contend for a World Series title if they’re paired with a huge addition of J.D. Martinez.