New Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow is still working to craft his vision of the Boston Red Sox. With the team in need of some offense, the Red Sox have created a potential free agent hierarchy.
Boston has been tied to ex-Miami Marlins slugger Jorge Soler. But if the Red Sox were to miss, the team hasn't ruled out a reunion with JD Martinez or Justin Turner, via Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
In all three situations, it'll come down to money. Outside of Lucas Giolito, the Red Sox haven't spent big on a contract all free agency. Still, all three players will have high interest around the league. If Boston were to get outbid on any of the three, the team could turn to lesser free agents such as Tommy Pham, Randal Grichuk or Kike Hernandez.
Boston needs power
While the Red Sox were once considered the front-runners for Soler, it appears their pursuit has died off. There is belief around the league that Boston would be outbid with interest from the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. It's clear to see why the Sox would want Soler after he hit .250 with 36 home runs and 75 RBI in his first All-Star campaign.
But both JD Martinez and Justin Turner are fine pivots from Soler. Both have experience in Boston, with Turner playing for the team this past season. He hit .276 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI. Martinez spent his campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting ..271 with 33 home runs and 103 RBI. He was voted to his third-straight All-Star campaign.
With the AL East tightening up, the Red Sox know they need some extra firepower to stay afloat. With their sudden unwillingness to spend, Boston hasn't seemed competitive for many of the top free agents. But with numerous candidates in mind, Boston is at least conscious of their need for another bat(s) in the lineup.
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