Teoscar Hernández is the belle of baseball free company this week, and the Red Sox are amongst his most aggressive suitors.
Boston has been linked to or bid on a number of free brokers this offseason, however so far have spent precisely $1 million in free company, solely including Cooper Crisswell for pitching depth.
Though not a beginning pitcher, Hernández checks off a number of different containers on the Red Sox’s record of areas in want of enchancment: well being, energy, defensive acumen amongst them. He’s confirmed himself to be one of many recreation’s most sturdy outfielders, taking part in 160 video games this season, and 274 over the earlier two. He’s susceptible to putting out – 211 instances in ’23 – however averaged 31 doubles and 28 dwelling runs over the previous three years and received back-to-back Silver Sluggers in ’20 and ’21. He’s additionally an above-average defender who led American League outfielders in assists twice (’20, ’23) and double performs turned thrice (’19, ’20, ’23). In ’23, he ranked within the 88th MLB percentile in arm worth and 82nd in dash pace.
Hernández is projected to emerge from free company with a four-year deal. The Red Sox have ample room for such a pact of their long-term monetary plans; they reset their luxurious tax penalties this yr and Rafael Devers’ contract is their solely assured cash dedicated past 2027.
However, the outfield was additionally presumed to be one of many extra squared away areas of Boston’s roster this offseason. Even after buying and selling Alex Verdugo to the Yankees, the Red Sox have Masataka Yoshida signed by way of ’27, Rob Refsnyder and Tyler O’Neill for the season, and pre-arbitration outfielders Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, and Ceddanne Rafaela. After struggling in truncated, inconsistent stints over his first two years of partial Major League taking part in time, Duran made a shocking transformation in ’23, rising as a powerful offensive and defensive contributor. Rafaela is taken into account a perennial Gold Glove centerfielder, and Alex Cora raves about Abreu’s bat energy.
There’s additionally the group’s prime outfield prospect, 19-year-old Roman Anthony. In his first full skilled season, he rose from Low-A Salem to Double-A Portland, and overtook shortstop Marcelo Mayer for the highest spot on SoxProspects.com. Though Anthony solely performed 10 video games for Portland earlier than the season ended, he went a formidable 12-for-35 (.343) with 4 doubles, a house run, 10 runs, eight pushed in, three stolen bases, eight walks, and solely six strikeouts. Overall, he completed the ’23 MiLB season hitting .272 with a .869 OPS, 17.5% stroll fee, and 45 extra-base hits over 106 video games. He’s headlining the annual Rookie Development Program at Fenway Park in mid-January, which helps the group’s most promising prospects put together for big-league life on and off the sector.
However, signing Hernández would additionally convey a much-needed veteran presence to the outfield; Yoshida had an extended and adorned profession in Japan earlier than signing with Boston final December and technically changing into a rookie another time. It would additionally allow the Red Sox to incorporate considered one of their youthful, club-controlled outfielders in a possible commerce bundle to land an elite beginning pitcher.
The new yr approaches, and with it, the 20 th anniversary of the historic 2004 season. Fittingly, the highest competitors for Hernandez is the Angels, Boston’s first-round postseason opponent 20 years in the past. Perhaps successful this battle in opposition to Anaheim will show to be step one on the highway to surprising glory, too.
Or on the very least, the Red Sox may have lastly spent some cash.
Official summons
Police within the Dominican Republic have formally summoned Wander Franco to seem for questioning on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 11 a.m. The information, first reported by Enrique Rojas and Juan Recio of ESPN, comes in the future after authorities carried out a pair of raids on the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop’s Baní dwelling and that of his mom, however didn’t discover him in both abode.
Franco’s All-Star season got here to a screeching halt on August 13 when a lady’s allegations that he’d had a relationship along with her when she was underage (18 within the DR) went viral on social media. The league instantly opened an investigation, as did the Dominican authorities. By the tip of August, three ladies had made accusations in opposition to him.
Around the league
After agreeing to a one-year contract with longtime Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier on Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays are signing infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year, $15M deal.
Kiermaier spent 9 seasons with the Rays earlier than becoming a member of the Jays for the ’23 season and successful his fourth profession Gold Glove. The Yankees acquired Kiner-Falefa from the Texas Rangers earlier than the ’22 season, and moved him across the diamond. After spending most of his first Bronx season at shortstop, he cut up ’23 between the three outfield positions and third base, plus eight innings at quick and one at second. However, with Matt Chapman at the moment a free agent, Kiner-Falefa figures to be a stable third-base addition for Toronto; he received a Gold Glove on the sizzling nook in 2020.
Both contracts are pending physicals, and Kiner-Falefa’s contains one other $1M in incentives.
Source: www.bostonherald.com