The 2017 Major League Baseball season has just kicked off
but it’s never too early to look ahead to next year. There is an interesting
crop of potential
free agents, and the Boston Red Sox, who are annual players in the market,
may look to go shopping once again. Let’s take a look at what players might be
good fits.
No matter what happens this season the Red Sox won’t be
heading into 2018 sweating out how to retain any of their major stars. To the
contrary, first baseman Mitch
Moreland and outfielder Chris Young
are the biggest
names on the team playing in the final year of their contract. On a
positive note, Allen Craig,
who has hit a combined .139 in 65 games with Boston since 2014, is scheduled to
have his $11 million 2017 salary come off the books. While the team may not
have many obvious holes, they are always in the process of trying to get
better. Here are some of the anticipated free agents that may help them do
that.
Jonathan Lucroy- Catcher/First Baseman: Barring a breakout season from Moreland
(which is happening in the early going), the team could be looking for an
upgrade at first base for next year. Now that Hanley
Ramirez has transitioned to designated hitter, it seems unlikely he would
return to the field. Finding a more traditional first baseman could be costly
given the premium at the position but Lucroy represents an intriguing option. A
catcher throughout his career, he has also played 46 games at first since the
2013 season.
The 30-year-old right-handed hitter would be a welcome
addition to the team’s middle of the order. Coming off a career year in 2016 where he hit a
combined .292 with 24 home runs and 81 RBIs with the Milwaukee Brewers and
Texas Rangers, he is a proven hitter who would be a great fit playing half his
games at Fenway Park (he has three doubles and a home run in six career games
at the venue).
The team struck gold in the past with a former catcher
shifting to first base (Mike Napoli),
so rolling the dice again makes sense. Lucroy is making $5.25 million this
year, so a big raise is in line. However, he won’t break the bank and could
provide the offensive production of an above average first baseman at a lower
cost than some of the premium names. Now in his 30s and rating as one of the
worst catchers in baseball at framing pitches in 2016, a position switch may be
desirable for Lucroy as well as to maximize his offseason value.
Jarrod Dyson- Outfielder: Now in his second season with Boston, Young has done
everything that could possibly be expected as the team’s fourth outfielder.
That means his return is possible. However, if he chooses to go elsewhere,
Dyson is an intriguing replacement option.
A completely different player than Young (who relies on
beating up on left-handed pitching), the 32-year-old Dyson’s game is built on
speed and defense. Able to play all three outfield positions, he hit .278 with
one home run and 30 stolen bases last year in 107 games with the Kansas City
Royals. He is just a .258 career hitter with seven home runs and 177 stolen
bases over seven-plus seasons in the majors, and is slated to become a free
agent at the end of this year with the Seattle Mariners.
A downside to Dyson, who bats from the left side, is that he
is fairly useless against left-handed pitching, as suggested by his career .583
career OPS against southpaws. On the other hand, Young has struggled mightily
against righties in the past.
Dyson’s true value is his glove. His 4.9 dWar over the past
three seasons is even better than defensive stalwarts like Jackie
Bradley Jr. (4.4 over the same period). Adding that to his speed should
make him a strong consideration for Boston’s 2018 fourth outfielder role.
Clayton Richard- Pitcher: The Red Sox have plenty of horse power at the front of
their rotation but lack a tried and true swing-man who can shift easily between
starting and relieving. This is where the 33-year-old left-hander could come
into play.
Richard is currently holding down the fort as the “ace” of
the moribund San Diego Padres. His career has already seen various iterations,
as he has shifted from starting to relieving and back to starting again
(missing most of 2014 due to injury in between). He began last season pitching
in relief with the Chicago Cubs; posting mediocre results. He ended up with the
Padres and returned to the rotation. His 2.41 ERA in nine late season starts
suggested he still has something left in the tank.
Relying on a low-90s
fastball, slider and changeup, Richard doesn’t have overwhelming stuff but
is a example of a hurler who truly “knows how to pitch.” This is knowledge and
ability that has come with age and experience. FanGraphs’
Jeff Sullivan recently pointed out how he has cleaned up his delivery in
recent times and become an extreme ground-ball pitcher.
The Red Sox would likely not be interested in Richard if he
has suitors trying to lock him up in their rotation for multiple years, as the
salary he would command in that role could be prohibitive. Barring a Rich Hill-esque
surge in 2017, all options are still on the table as to what his future holds.
Boston ended up having a decent swing man last year in Clay
Buchholz but it remains to be seen if anyone will fill that void this
season. Going in strong on the lefty would be a good step in addressing that
need and seeing what value they might find in the veteran.
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