The Boston Red Sox will focus on making last-second additions with just a few weeks to go until players start to report to spring training.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is still seeking pitching help as well as a right-handed hitter who can provide positional versatility.
Boston has been linked to outfielder Adam Duvall for weeks but a deal has yet to come together. For that reason, Breslow reportedly has a backup plan brewing.
“Adam Duvall continues to be a potential option for the Red Sox as they look to add right-handed depth,” MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported Sunday. “One potential fallback option is Garrett Cooper who had a .904 OPS against lefties last year.”
The Red Sox are in even worse shape than many speculated if they are not confident in their ability to land Duvall — a 35-year-old outfielder who missed 70 games last season.
Duvall posted a 119 OPS+ last season and could provide 30-home run power playing half of his games at Fenway Park.
The point here is not to knock the veteran’s value or ability but to outline how insane it would be if Breslow was not able to secure what will be a mildly lucrative short-term deal for a player who was on the team last season. His only other known suitor is the Los Angeles Angels.
The Red Sox also could aim higher as Jorge Soler, Justin Turner and J.D. Martinez remain available. For some reason, they have no interest in doing so.
Cooper hit .251 with 36 extra-base hits including 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .724 OPS in 123 games between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres last season.
He has a career 109 OPS+ and could become an impact bat in Boston. Cooper can play first base and corner outfield, which Breslow will find intriguing.
The 33-year-old could be a productive bat if utilized optimally — mainly against left-handed pitching — but his acquisition would signal a new low for ownership’s investment in the team with so many premier bats on the market.
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