This afternoon, Red Sox leader baseball officer Chaim Bloom, GM Brian O’Halloran, president Sam Kennedy, and supervisor Alex Cora spoke with the media (together with Alex Speier of the Boston Globe and Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic) to place a wrap at the 2022 season and supply readability for the workforce’s offseason strikes.
The quartet made it transparent that Xander Bogaerts is a best precedence, with Bloom mentioning that the Red Sox are “going to work really hard” at making a handle the long-term shortstop. Bloom endured, including that he hopes that the Red Sox can get a deal completed earlier than the Bogaerts opts out and that the Bogaerts deal is “something that we can work on right away.”
Bogaerts had prior to now signed a six-year, $120MM extension in 2019 with an decide out after the 2022 season. The big name shortstop has now not formally mentioned whether or not he’s going to workout the decide out, however he’s a lock to take action and earn way more at the open marketplace. Bogaerts mentioned the day before today he and the workforce have now not had any contemporary extension talks.
Bogaerts has been the Red Sox’s longest-tenured participant, having made his debut as a 20-year-old in August 2013 and profitable two World Series with the membership. Since his debut, the just lately became 30-year-old has endured to expand and submit sturdy effects, slashing .307/.377/.456 with 15 house runs and 38 doubles within the 2022 season. Over the previous 5 seasons, Bogaerts has posted a .301/.373/.508 slash line for a powerful .880 OPS with 105 house runs, incomes 3 All-Star berths and MVP attention within the earlier 4 seasons, completing in 5th all over the 2019 season.
If Bogaerts leaves the workforce, the Red Sox have choices internally. Trevor Story, signed to a six-year, $140MM contract all over the 2021 offseason, has really extensive enjoy at quick. However, Story has expressed a desire to stay at moment and retain Bogaerts at quick. Utility males Kiké Hernández and Christian Arroyo each have enjoy at shortstop, however neither produces an offensive output similar to Bogaerts.
Additionally, Red Sox’s best prospect Marcelo Mayer, ranked because the seventh-best prospect by means of MLB.com, simply completed his first complete minor league season, posting a powerful .280/.399/.489 line throughout Low-A and High-A. MLB.com recently initiatives the 19-year-old to make his debut all over the 2024 season. However, Bloom mentioned that possibilities who’re years clear of the Majors won’t have an effect on the Red Sox’s technique to their 2023 workforce.
Transitioning to Rafael Devers, the slugger mentioned on Wednesday that he’d be open to discussing a long-term deal this offseason (by means of Rob Bradford of WEEI). The Red Sox and Devers reportedly weren’t shut all over their Spring Training negotiations, however Bloom reiterated these days “we would like to” discover a long-term handle Devers, according to Speier.
Devers is headed into his ultimate season of arbitration eligibility, as Mookie Betts was once earlier than his blockbuster industry to the Dodgers. Bloom pushed aside the opportunity of buying and selling Devers, pronouncing that “isn’t on our radar” and that the entirety the workforce has completed (farm gadget and payroll-wise) was once carried out in order that the workforce “is never in that position [of trading a player like Betts] again.” Bloom added that whilst it was once all the time imaginable he’d obtain a industry be offering that was once “stupid to walk away from,” Devers “is a guy that we want to build around.”
Unlike Bogaerts, the Red Sox have fewer inside choices to exchange Devers on the sizzling nook. Arroyo and Hernandez are in a position to taking part in there, however, like is the case with shortstop, neither of them supplies the offensive output that Devers brings to the workforce. Bobby Dalbec generally is a contender for 3rd base. However, the righty has but to persistently produce on the primary league stage, slashing .232/.298/.456, buoyed by means of a powerful .263/.359/.600 in his past due 2020 debut season. Jeter Downs and Ryan Fitzgerald are each Triple-A applicants that might see a while if wanted, however each will most likely proceed their building in Triple-A.
Similar to Meyer, ninth-best prospect Blaze Jordan simply completed his first complete minor league season. Across Low-A and High-A, the 19-year-old posted a mixed .289/.363/.445 line. Jordan could also be projected to make his debut all over the 2024 season, that may be sped as much as align with a Devers departure.
Moving to the opposite facet of the infield, Bloom touched at the arrivals of Eric Hosmer and Triston Casas. “I don’t know yet,” he admitted when requested if there was once room at the roster for 2 left-handed first basemen, according to Christopher Smith of Mass Live. “Obviously, when we got Hoz, we were focused on what he could bring to us right now and not wanting to rush Triston. I think after that, Triston showed us in Triple-A, coming back off that injury once he got settled in, really the best we’ve seen from him or at least I’ve seen since I’ve been here. … It’s something we’re going to have to look at.”
Hosmer was once received on the industry cut-off date and posted a vulnerable .244/.320/.331 line with the Red Sox in 45 at-bats. He arrived with 3 years final on his eight-year, $144MM contract that he signed in 2018 with the Padres, however San Diego is paying down all however the league minimal wage. Hosmer undoubtedly received’t decide of the remainder $39MM on his deal, however Boston may just transfer from the veteran at just about no monetary value in the event that they sought after to show to Casas complete time.
Casas is Boston’s second-best prospect, after Mayer, and is ranked because the No. 25 prospect by means of MLB.com. The slugger made his debut in early September and completed the season going 15-for-76 (.197) with 23 strikeouts. However, he had a powerful 20% stroll fee, a .358 on-base proportion, and despatched 5 balls over the fence. Bloom mentioned that the Red Sox had been pleased with how Casas “progressed the last couple months of the season,” noting that “he was a tough at-bat every single time,” and that the workforce is “excited” to look how he learns from his temporary enjoy within the Show.
Bloom additionally famous that the Red Sox “fully expect” they’ll take a look at the opportunity of including to their catching workforce externally, according to Speier. He instructed the Red Sox see Reese McGuire and Connor Wong as having “raised the floor,” however left open the opportunity of an have an effect on addition. Willson Contreras is the transparent best unfastened agent to be had on the place, whilst cut-off date industry goal Sean Murphy may just once more be made to be had by means of the A’s. McGuire has had a powerful begin to his Red Sox tenure, slashing a powerful .337/.377/.500 for a .877 OPS with 3 homers in 98 at-bats. However, those top numbers are inflated by means of an astounding .411 BABIP. Wong has been much less productive, posting a .188/.273/.315 line, with a top 28.6% strikeout fee.
Meanwhile, Cora introduced that the Red Sox hope to carry again their whole training team of workers for the following season, according to Chris Cotillo of Mass Live. However, it’s imaginable some individuals of the team of workers may just get an opportunity to interview for managerial positions this wintry weather. Bench trainer Will Venable, specifically, has been a widespread candidate for managerial jobs in previous offseasons.