Grandson Of Red Sox Hall Of Famer Made Available; Should Boston Pursue Outfielder?

Boston could use some help but his fit is tricky

Scott Neville | Jul 27, 2024

July 1976; Cleveland, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Boston Red Sox left fielder Carl Yastrzemski in action during the 1976 season at Cleveland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

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Could the Boston Red Sox shore up their lineup by adding a dynamic outfielder with Hall of Fame genes?

The grandson of one of the best players in Red Sox history reportedly has been made available ahead of the July 30 trade deadline due to a recent skid by the San Francisco Giants and could be on the move.

"The Giants, 2-5 since the All-Star break, have indicated to teams that they're willing to trade some of their veteran players," MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Friday. "One possible scenario: They could move an outfielder, Michael Conforto or Mike Yastrzemski, to open up playing time for Luis Matos."

Yastrzemski is having the better season of the duo and would be a decent commodity as teams seek offensive firepower.

The 33-year-old is hitting .244 with 23 extra-base hits including eight home runs, 33 RBIs and a .749 OPS (116 OPS+) in 85 games for the Giants. The veteran is under team control through 2025 as well, so the Giants could receive a semi-notable package in return.

While it would be a great storyline to have a Yastrzemski donning a Red Sox uniform, it won't happen in 2024. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow confirmed Friday what we've already known for months -- Boston will be focused on adding an impact right-handed bat.

Yastrzemski is a left-handed hitter and will not be joining the already boisterous group of lefties that includes Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, Wilyer Abreu, Dom Smith, David Hamilton, Reese McGuire, and soon Triston Casas.

If Breslow adds a position player, they will 100% either be a right-hander or switch-hitter.

More MLB: Red Sox's Craig Breslow Outlines Big Plans To Bolster Roster Ahead Of Trade Deadline

Published Jul 27, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu