Red Sox rumors according to Nick Cafardo: Cespedes, Samarzdija and more
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Contributing Writer
The Red Sox looked poised for a busy off-season this year, and the latest roundup from the Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo suggests that the Red Sox could be looking at Oakland A's pitcher Jeff Samarzdija, among other things.
On Yoenis Cespedes:
Did the coaching staff “hate” him, as has been stated in a New York Daily News column? No, hate is a strong word. But there are four things to remember going forward:
■ The team wanted him to play right field because that’s where they thought his strong arm played best. Did you see him in right field after he was acquired for Jon Lester?
■ The team wanted him to work on his defense, especially getting accustomed to the Wall. Any of us who get to the ballpark early realized that didn’t happen too often.
Cespedes is heading into the final year of his contract and is now being represented by Roc Nation. In its short existence, Roc Nation has had the stance that players should go to free agency to maximize their value. Would the Red Sox want to wait and play out the year with him? Or will they seek to move him before that?
■ Cespedes’s Red Sox performance was pedestrian. While A’s insiders blamed their offensive struggles on Cespedes’s absence, the outfielder’s numbers weren’t that great.
He wound up with 22 homers, 100 RBIs, and a .751 OPS. With Boston, he hit .269 with five homers, 33 RBIs, and a .719 OPS in 213 plate appearances. He also had a .296 OBP, very un-Red Sox-like.
Hard to say whether he'll be traded or not before his contract is up, but signing with Roc Nation probably means he'll be looking for some serious cash in free agency next season, so a trade could be a possibility for the Sox.
Nick Cafardo also asked a Chicago White Sox official about the possibility of them moving Chris Sale, and got "a minute of laughter," he reports, which makes sense to me. It's pretty hard to imagine that the White Sox would want to trade one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
Here's what Cafardo said about Oakland Athletic's pitcher Jeff Samardzija:
Jeff Samardzija, RHP, Athletics — There’s no question Samardzija could be traded this offseason as he enters the final year of his contract, and don’t be surprised if the A’s and Red Sox engage in talks. The A’s may lose shortstop Jed Lowrie in free agency and have also dealt top shortstop prospect Addison Russell to the Cubs. Would the Red Sox dangle shortstop Devin Marrero and a pitching prospect? Could the deal be expanded to obtain lefthanded-hitting catcher John Jaso? Intriguing possibilities.
Interesting possibilities here, especially the possibility of a Samardzija deal. With the Sox in the market for starting pitching, he'll bear watching, along with Jon Lester and a whole host of other starting pitchers.
Thoughts? Leave a comment below!