Another free agent who had been linked to the Red Sox is off the board, though, in this case we’re now learning that the links were never that strong. The Los Angeles Dodgers resigned outfielder Teoscar Hernandez to a 3-year, $66 million deal last night. Hernandez is a right-handed hitting outfielder with power — a profile the Red Sox could use given the loss of Tyler O’Neill. But, according to several reports, the Red Sox really weren’t that involved in the bidding. (Kaley Brown, Boston.com)
Hernandez isn’t the only free agent the Sox weren’t all that interested in. Reports are that the team never got particularly far with pitcher Corbin Burnes, who signed a six-year deal with opt-outs worth $210 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks. There are also reports, though, that Burnes signed in Arizona for family reasons, so perhaps the Sox knew they weren’t a preferred destination from the start. (NESN, Jason Ounsprasueth)
With respect to Hernandez and Burnes, it was the Sox who chose not to be involved. But that’s not the case with respect to Japanese ace Roki Sasaki. Sasaki had already met with several teams, including the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, and Rangers. But, according to CBO Craig Breslow, Sasaki has not given the Sox a meeting, despite their interest in a player who, because he is not an unrestricted free agent, will cost essentially nothing. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
So it’s increasingly looking like Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler are going to be the only significant additions to the pitching staff. Buehler, at least, seems pretty excited and will be wearing number 0:
And now for some good news: Triston Casas is still on the team, though not for lack of trying on Breslow’s part. We now know that the Sox and Mariners were close to a trade that would’ve sent Casas to Seattle for pitcher Luis Castillo. The deal fell apart, though, when the Sox tried to include Masataka Yoshida as a salary dump. (Mark Feinsand, MLB.com)
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