Mitch Moreland isn’t worried about fitting in with the Boston Red Sox.
The former Texas Rangers first baseman agreed to a one-year contract with the Red Sox on Tuesday worth a reported $5.5 million. And Moreland said Thursday in a conference call that he chose Boston for the players and the atmosphere.
“I had a couple options, but really just the whole fact that it’s a place I really wanted to play,” Moreland said, via WEEI.com. “Getting the opportunity to come here and be a part of that winning environment, being a part of a winning environment and having a chance to go out and play for a championship is huge to me personally. This is a great option.”
The Red Sox are hoping for a bounceback year from Moreland, who hit .233 with 22 home runs and 60 RBIs but did win the Gold Glove at first base in the American League. One of his main jobs will be to add some offensive production from the left side of the plate, which the Red Sox will lose without David Ortiz next season.
But either way, Moreland is ready to come to work.
“What they were able to do last year, you knew you were in for a fight when you were playing these guys,” Moreland said. “It was a gritty group of guys that had a ton of talent. I like to think of myself as that type of player, as a gritty type player. Hopefully, I felt like I could fit in here and move forward and try to help out and make that goal happen of winning a championship. That’s the main goal as far as playing this game for me. I feel like we’ve got a great opportunity here.”
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
