Jose Abreu was reportedly the Boston Red Sox “No.1 outside target” in MLB free agency, per Jon Heyman. Heyman also reports that Boston met with Abreu “as soon as free agency opened.” However, the former Chicago White Sox' first baseman ultimately signed with the Houston Astros.
Jose Abreu would have represented a first base upgrade for the Red Sox. He offers decent power and strong contact ability while playing a respectable first base. Abreu, who was introduced by Jim Crane and the Astros on Tuesday, drew lofty praise from Crane during the press conference.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” Crane said. “He’s (Abreu) been a consistent player for a number of years. You throw his bat in the lineup and his statistics, he’s gonna put some pop in the lineup.”
The important element of Heyman's report to note is that he stated “outside target.” This means that the Red Sox may still be involved in the Xander Bogaerts free agency sweepstakes. Boston will need to act fast if they have intentions of re-signing Bogaerts, as he has received no shortage of interest on the open market.
The Red Sox are in an odd spot this offseason.
In 2021, they fell just short of reaching the World Series. But in 2022, with a fairly similar roster, Boston failed to reach the postseason. In 2023, it would not be surprising to see them make the playoffs, but they also very well could struggle throughout the year. But it appears as if the Red Sox are attempting to build a more consistent ball club.
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