The Boston Red Sox offseason activities have already gotten off to an interesting start. J.D. Martinez has opted into the final year of his contract, Eduardo Rodriguez was given a qualifying offer, and the team has already begun scanning the free agent market for potential fits. Even with the possibility of a lockout coming later this offseason, the Sox should be set to continue adding players this offseason.
One area of the roster Boston will be looking to upgrade is their infield, particularly at second and first base. Both positions were question marks heading into the 2021 season, and that hasn’t really changed as we head into the offseason. There are potential solutions already on the roster, but free agency offers an ideal avenue to bring in an even better solution.
Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers could also be upended from their positions if need be, which is something that both players have said they are OK with. While both players are fantastic at the plate, their fielding at their respective position (shortstop and third base) leave something to be desired. So maybe the Sox target someone with the idea that they will move either Bogaerts or Devers to another position.
Whichever way you cut it, there are a lot of possible avenues this offseason for the Red Sox if they want to shore up their infield. They could even address the infield by adding an outfielder and pushing Kike Hernandez into the infield. If they end up choosing a more conventional route and target infielders, here are three potential options for the Boston Red Sox this offseason.
Boston Red Sox free agent target No. 3: Anthony Rizzo
Anthony Rizzo has long been the subject of adoration from Boston’s fan base, and for good reason. Rizzo overcame a classical Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis to work his way through Boston’s minor league systems, but he was eventually sent to the San Diego Padres as part of the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Rizzo would eventually find his way to the Chicago Cubs, and established himself as one of the premier first basemen in the league during his time there.
With the Cubs heading towards a rebuild, it seemed pretty likely Rizzo was going to be dealt at the Trade Deadline this season. Many assumed the Red Sox would be the perfect destination since they needed a first baseman, but Rizzo ended up being dealt to the rival New York Yankees, which didn’t sit too well with the folks of Boston. But now Rizzo is a free agent, and the Sox will most likely be linked to their former prospect again this offseason.
Rizzo endured a down year in 2021 by his standards, as he hit just .248 with 22 home runs and 61 runs batted in. Rizzo has typically hit around the .280-.290 mark throughout his career, so you have to wonder whether he’s already past his peak. Even if he is, Rizzo still offers above average play at first base, and he’s a consistent left handed bat that Boston’s lineup could certainly use.
Rizzo’s down year (and the fact that he struggled during the shortened 2020 season too) will probably lower his value on the market. Rizzo has a reputation of being one of the better first basemen in the league, but guys like Freddie Freeman and maybe even Brandon Belt will draw more attention than Rizzo. His price range will probably fall somewhere between $10-15 million, which could end up being a bargain.
Rizzo’s debut in a Red Sox uniform is way overdue, and it’s time for the front office to change that this offseason. Rizzo will be available at a lower price than initially expected, and even if he struggles, you could just use him in a platoon situation with Bobby Dalbec. It seems like Rizzo has some unfinished business with the Red Sox, and it’s time to bring him aboard so that he can help this team try to win it’s next World Series title.
Boston Red Sox free agent target No. 2: Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant was another player on the Cubs that I thought the Sox should have targeted at the Trade Deadline this season. Bryant wasn’t initially thought to be available during Chicago’s fire sale, but the San Francisco Giants picked him up right before the deadline approached, meaning the Red Sox had missed out on another big target. But similar to his former teammate Rizzo, Bryant is now a free agent, and Boston should be in the running for his services.
Bryant isn’t necessarily the perennial MVP candidate he was at the start of his career, but he had a nice bounce back season in 2021 after he struggled in 2020. He finished with a .265 batting average, hitting 25 homers and driving in 73 runs in the process, earning him his fourth All Star berth of his career. Bryant is still a dangerous weapon who can make any lineup better, and you can bet he would swat a couple of balls over the Green Monster if he found his way to Fenway.
The main roadblock with bringing in Bryant would be that he is primarily a third baseman, which is where Devers finds himself currently. But Bryant has played all over the diamond throughout his career, and has occasionally spent time at first base and shortstop throughout his career too. Bryant could be put at first base, or you could use this as an opportunity to move Devers away from third base and put him at first.
While Bryant probably isn’t the player he once was, he’s still an extremely productive player, and one of the best options on the free agent market. He will be 30 by the time the season starts, and he is in a great spot to cash in this offseason. He will probably fetch a multi-year deal worth around $25 million per year, which is probably on the edge of what Boston is looking to offer for a single player.
Regardless of the price, it’s clear Bryant would come in and fill a big role in Boston’s infield, no matter where he plays. Adding Bryant to a lineup that already features, Bogaerts, Devers, and Martinez also sounds downright scary. He may be more expensive than alternate options, but Bryant offers a clean fix to the infield for the foreseeable future.
Boston Red Sox free agent target No. 1: Marcus Semien
Marcus Semien has undergone quite a radical change over the past couple seasons. He was a solid role player for most of his time with the Oakland Athletics, than completely broke out during the 2019 season, finishing third in the MVP race. Semien struggled in 2020, and took a one year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays last offseason, betting on himself to earn more money this offseason.
It’s safe to say that bet paid off handsomely for Semien. He hit .265, smacked 45 home runs, and drove in 102 runs for the Blue Jays. It was an unbelievable season for Semien, and he seemed to only get better as time went on. Semien is one of the three finalists for the AL MVP award again, all though it appears he is staring at his second third-place finish.
Off the back of his career year, Semien is in a great position to make quite a large sum of cash this offseason. He’s a versatile infielder who can play three spots in a pinch, and he has developed into one of the best power hitters in the game seemingly out of nowhere. Semien has spent most of his career at either shortstop or second base, which is great because the Sox will be looking for a second baseman this offseason.
Semien is already 31 years old, which tanks his value a bit, but he’s still set to get a pretty big deal regardless. He will probably look to command a long-term deal worth anywhere between $20-25 million, which again is probably right on the edge of what Boston is looking to offer a single player this offseason.
Semien fills one of the Red Sox top needs heading into this offseason, and it would make a lot of sense for them to try to pursue him this offseason. There will obviously be a lot of competition, but that’s what happens when a player hits .265 with 45 home runs. If Boston can somehow land Semien this offseason, they will have to be considered one of the true World Series favorites in 2022.