Boston Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez can opt out of his contract’s remaining three years, $62.5 million once the World Series ends. He’ll receive a $2.5 million buyout if he opts out.
Super agent Scott Boras spoke with Forbes’ Barry Bloom who reported, “Boras, for one, is confident he can generate more dollars for (Stephen) Strasburg and Martinez elsewhere.”
“Great players are always coveted, and those are great players,” Boras told Bloom. “It’s really up to them how they view their situation and what they want to do.”
Martinez has indicated Boras will make the opt-out clause decision for him.
“You know Scott Boras? Call him up,” Martinez said in August.
If Martinez opts out and signs elsewhere, who might the Red Sox sign to replace him?
First baseman Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce are headed to free agency (Pearce might retire). The Red Sox, therefore, could pursue a power-hitting first baseman, then also rotate him and others at DH.
The Red Sox have been interested in slugger Jose Abreu ever since the White Sox outbid Boston by approximately $5 million in international free agency in October 2013. Since then, Boston has been linked to Abreu several times in trade rumors.
Abreu is a pending free agent who turns 33 in January. He slashed .284/.330/.503/.834 with 33 homers, 38 doubles, one triple and an AL-leading 123 RBI in 159 games during 2019.
Blue Jays’ Justin Smoak, who turns 33 on Dec. 5, also will be a free agent. Most of the switch-hitter’s power production comes from the left side. So he’s potentially someone who could platoon at first base with right-handed hitters Michael Chavis, Bobby Dalbec and Sam Travis.
The Red Sox might be best served to sign or acquire a talented hitter who can play the outfield like J.D. Martinez.
Cardinals’ Marcell Ozuna, Phillies’ Corey Dickerson, Cubs’ Nicholas Castellanos, Yankees’ Brett Gardner, Rays’ Avisail Garcia and Indians’ Yasiel Puig are the top pending free agent outfielders.
DODGERS: Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, confirmed that he and Manager Dave Roberts will remain with the organization. Friedman said he and the club will complete a contract extension “in the next couple of days.”
His five-year, $35-million deal is set to expire at the end of the month. “At this point, it’s just finalizing it,” Friedman said in a news conference at Dodger Stadium.
CUBS: Gabe Kapler will interview this week for the Cubs’ manager job, which could be welcome news for the Phillies if they are hoping to take away suitors from Joe Girardi.
Kapler, fired last week by the Phillies, is familiar with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, who was the general manager of the Red Sox when Kapler was introduced to analytics as a player in Boston.
The Cubs interviewed Girardi last week for their managerial job, and the Phillies plan to meet with him this week. Girardi and Buck Showalter, according to a source, are the early favorites for the Phillies job.
Kapler will also interview this week with the Giants, whose baseball operations are run by Farhan Zaidi, who oversaw Kapler when Kapler was the Dodgers’ minor-league director.
The Cubs have already interviewed Will Venable, David Ross, Mark Loretta and Girardi. They announced that they also will interview Kapler and Astros bench coach Joe Espada, as they work to replace the fired Joe Maddon.
The Phillies plan to interview Showalter and Dusty Baker along with Girardi this week as they try to fill Kapler’s vacancy.
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