Angels Reportedly Have Interest In Signing Red Sox Free-Agent Slugger
The Boston Red Sox's priority all offseason has been to bolster the pitching staff, with an emphasis on the rotation.
With that said, the Red Sox lost a pair of right-handed bats this winter and will need to find at least one slugger to fill their shoes.
A reunion with either Justin Turner or Adam Duvall is on the table for now but time is running out. The latter makes more sense given the team's roster construction but his market appears to be heating up.
"The Angels have discussed free-agent outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Adam Duvall, as well as Kevin Kiermaier and Harrison Bader before they agreed to one-year deals elsewhere, sources say," FanSided's Robert Murray wrote Thursday.
Duvall hit .247 with 47 extra-base hits including 21 homers, 58 RBIs and a 119 OPS+ in 2023 despite missing a good chunk of the season due to a wrist injury.
The Red Sox's top choice to fill the right-handed hitting outfielder role appears to be Teoscar Hernández but in typical Fenway Sports Group fashion, the club is afraid to spend any meaningful amount of money on a proven impact bat.
With that said, Duvall might be a more affordable option and could be secured on a one-or-two-year deal.
Make no mistake, Boston does not need to settle in this scenario. The ownership group has proven to be a shell of themselves with no genuine desire to win.
Duvall would be a solid addition to the lineup after displaying a suitable swing for Fenway Park and could do real damage in a fully healthy season. If they were to invest in say Jordan Montgomery or Blake Snell, Duvall's acquisition would be welcomed. To do so, they'd have to reach an agreement ahead of the Angels, which appears unlikely.
Instead, it looks like Boston is simply trying to find the cheapest way to construct a team just good enough to finish in fourth place if everything falls the right way.
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