Inside The Red Sox

Recent AL MVP, Perfect DH Fit Reportedly Wants To Join Red Sox

Boston is a preferred destination for one of the best pure hitters around

Scott Neville

Recent AL MVP, Perfect DH Fit Reportedly Wants To Join Red Sox
Recent AL MVP, Perfect DH Fit Reportedly Wants To Join Red Sox /
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The Red Sox could receive a notable boost in the lineup thanks to one of the top sluggers available having interest in coming to Boston.

Former Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu reportedly has the Red Sox "high on the list" of destinations as he sorts through free agency according to Bruce Levine on 670 The Score's "Inside the Clubhouse podcast."

Levine also listed the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins as preferred destinations.

A lot of the Red Sox's success this century has been predicated on having a lineup that boasts an elite designated hitter. Between Hall of Famer David Ortiz and J.D. Martinez, that spot in the order has instilled fear in opposing pitchers for decades. 

With Martinez not only unlikely to return but seemingly on the decline, Boston will have to consider external options to fill that role. 

Abreu is one of a few impact bats on the market this winter, and his reported interest in Boston could make negotiations easier for Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.

The 35-year-old slugger is not a long-term solution but could fill the role at least for 2023. He hit .304 with 65 extra-base hits including 15 home runs, 75 RBIs and an .824 OPS in 157 games last season.

Abreu's home run tally was noticeably lower last season, but he still smoked 40 doubles and has a career 162-game average of 31 home runs a season. Even if his power is on the decline due to age, that season can be chalked up to an outlier from a power perspective.

The Cuban star also boasts a career .292 average and one of the best eyes in the game. He had a 110-to-62 strikeout-to-walk ratio a year ago, which is very good considering his role as a slugger.

Since joining Major League Baseball in 2014, Abreu has won the American League Rookie of the Year, 2020 AL MVP, made three trips to the All-Star Game and won three Silver Sluggers.

Abreu would add another All-Star caliber player to the lineup while providing depth at first base should Triston Casas' knee not heal as planned. 

The team also has Eric Hosmer, who would be a fantastic player to utilize off of the bench, but a light-hitting designated hitter should Abreu sign elsewhere.

The addition of Abreu would be a strong start to what will inevitably become a franchise-altering offseason for the Red Sox.

More MLB: Red Sox Reportedly Showing Interest In All-Star Starter Among Others

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Scott Neville
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

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