Boston Red Sox Rumors: 3 most dynamic free agent prizes for 2021
Coming off a disappointing 2020 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox are a prize free agent away from competing in 2021.
After a dismal 2020 MLB season, watch for the Boston Red Sox to be major players on the free agent market.
With Alex Cora returning as the team’s manager, along with the return of Eduardo Rodriguez and potentially Chris Sale at some point in 2021, the Red Sox are actually just a couple players away from competing in the AL.
Whether through trade or free agency, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom is not shying away from spending some money this offseason and that should make Sox fans very optimistic that a more than adequate team will take the field in 2021.
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What should also make fans smile is the team won’t shy away from some big names with qualifying offers entangled. If they sign a player who turned down a qualifying offer, they would have to forfeit their second-highest draft pick along with some cash.
Bloom is okay with that if he feels the player or players will help the team.
"“I think it’s our responsibility on everything that can fit us,” Bloom said via Zoom call as transcribed by WEEI. “Obviously when you’re talking about somebody that has a qualifying offer them the cost to us in signing them is greater and you have to factor that on some level. I don’t like ruling us out on anybody.”"
With that music to our ears, here are the three most dynamic free agent targets for the Boston Red Sox going into the 2021 MLB season.
George Springer the bat who can bring it all together
One of the top free agents who turned down a qualifying offer from their perspective team is Houston Astros outfielder George Springer.
As one of the most productive leadoff hitters in the MLB, signing Springer would bring it all together for the Boston Red Sox in 2021. Not only would he fit in the outfield and be a potential replacement in center field if Jackie Bradley Jr. signs elsewhere, he would give the team that dangerous leadoff hitter they have been missing since trading away Mookie Betts.
In fact, it is George Springer who Cora compared Betts to when the Red Sox infused him as the leadoff hitter.
Just think about the impact Springer would have on the Red Sox lineup if Chaim Bloom were to pull it off. Not only would it help sluggers like J.D. Martinez, Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts, a player like Andrew Benintendi would halve less pressure on him which could lead him to finally having a breakout season.
As far as the defensive outfield goes, a trio of Benintendi, George Springer and Alex Verdugo would be quite exciting if you are a Boston Red Sox fan.
Oh, and it may even take away that sting of watching Mookie Betts win a World Series championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Yes, bring on George Springer who has been one of the top 5 run scorers in the league since 2017.