If you thought the Boston Red Sox would let the New York Yankees acquire Giancarlo Stanton and leave them in the dust, you were wrong. The Red Sox apparently are intent upon matching the Yankees and plan to flex with some big signings of their own.
The Boston Herald reported on Friday that the Red Sox are trying to sign not just top free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez, but also first baseman Eric Hosmer.
When asked about the possibility of adding both players, Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski questioned how both would fit on their team.
“I’ve read that, but I don’t know where we’d play those two bats. I’m trying to figure that one out,” Dombrowski said Monday about the possibility of signing both Hosmer and Martinez. “But I would say we’d be more limited to probably one bat.”
Martinez, who posted a 1.066 OPS in 119 games last season, is said to be seeking a $200 million contract. The 30-year-old has a career .856 OPS and bashed 38 homers in 2015 in addition to 45 in 119 games last season.
Hosmer, 28, has been with the Royals his entire career, helping them to reach the World Series twice. He’s a career .284 hitter with a .781 OPS, but he seems to be getting better as he gets more experience. His .318/.385/.498 slash line from last season all represented career-high marks. He could command a deal for around $150 million. The Red Sox might encounter some competition for him from a surprising suitor.
