The Boston Red Sox came into the offseason needing to make some big moves and they’ve already made one. The Red Sox added Sonny Gray to their starting rotation in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. But after this move, the Red Sox need to add to their lineup.
Alex Bregman is the top name to look at, but there’s a chance he leaves Boston this offseason. The Red Sox need to add pop at the corner infield spots heading into next season.
The Athletic’s Andy McCullough recently predicted the Red Sox would sign international slugger Munetaka Murakami in free agency this winter.
“I placed Murakami with the Red Sox, in part, through the process of elimination,” McCullough wrote. “David Stearns says he wants to improve the Mets’ run-prevention machine, and Murakami doesn’t really grade as a defensive upgrade over Pete Alonso. The Dodgers don’t have a place in their lineup for him. I think the Phillies will re-up with another slugger you’ll read about shortly. So the best fit for Murakami, a 26-year-old with incredible power but glaring questions about his ability to make contact, might be the Red Sox.”
Murakami is bound to be one of the best sluggers signed this offseason, but he’s not going to come cheap. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently predicted Murakami would sign a blockbuster $160 million deal, which would place him firmly in the Red Sox’s price range.
The Red Sox would be taking a risk by going after an international slugger to fill a huge hole on the roster, but Murakami’s power potential and his ability to play both corner infield spots make him very valuable. The Red Sox would be much better if they find a way to bring him to Fenway Park.
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