The Red Sox’s offseason will involve plenty of maneuvering, though it’s nearly impossible to predict whether the front office will exert most of its effort on the free-agent market or the trade market. It’s likely Boston will acquire players from both.
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington quickly ran down his offseason wish list after the club wrapped up its disappointing 2014 season. Boston’s attempt to retool technically began at this year’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, but Cherington would like to at least add starting pitching, bullpen help, a catcher and a left-handed bat before Opening Day 2015.
The starting rotation is the Red Sox’s most glaring weakness, if only because it’s an incomplete group. Boston has a surplus of pitching prospects, but none have proven anything at the major league level. Acquiring help externally isn’t just a desire. It’s a necessity.
Th Red Sox could make significant changes to their lineup, too. David Ortiz recently said the Sox need more “thunder,” which makes sense given that the team’s offense didn’t dramatically improve even after Boston’s deadline deals.
The following list is comprised of position players who the Red Sox could consider targeting this offseason. Of course, it’s based on pure speculation stemming from team needs and players potentially available, either via free agency or trade. But it should provide a glimpse of what the marketplace looks like as the Red Sox prepare for an interesting winter.
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