Boston Red Sox: Will there be a trade or free agent surprise?

Will the Boston Red Sox make a surprise free agent or trade move? That is always a possibility considering Dave Dombrowski is in charge.

Will there be a Boston Red Sox surprise? With the recent elections surfaced the slogan “October Surprise” in regards to information that was unexpectedly being disseminated. The other part of this is the often used expression “I didn’t see that coming.”

In the past, the Red Sox have made trade moves and free agent acquisitions that certainly are classified as a surprise. Rumors do surface, but occasionally the negotiations are rather clandestine and nothing seeps through for the voracious appetite of the media and insatiable fans. Will there be any?

Edwin Encarnacion has apparently dropped from the Red Sox free agent target list. Priced out with his contract demands? Fearful of a long-term commitment to a player who could slide precipitously as the contract years drag on? All signs point to the Red Sox looking elsewhere. That – of course – opens the door to a “surprise.” Maybe it will be Encarnacion?

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The other free agents bats that the Red Sox so are in need of have gathered little interest. Mark Trumbo and Mike Napoli have had barely a mention among the rumor mill. Carlos Beltran has certainly got the attention thanks to his age (40) and the possibility that could be reflected in baseball cheap compared to Encarnacion or his partner in slugging Jose Bautista.

The Red Sox insist that they will institute a designated hitter by committee and do not actively seek a replacement bat for David Ortiz and his 127 RBI. I happen to be a skeptic. I still feel that Boston will make a serious run at Encarnacion and Bautista.

Trades are the energy drink of the offseason. Nothing like a hot stove shot of a trade version of Red Bull. The one name or should I say two names that are linked like Mac and Cheese are Jackie Bradley and Chris Sale. The connection is the Red Sox will aggressively pursue a free agent to fill in for left field or center field and ship Bradley. I have my doubts.

From my perch I see Bradley staying, but I do not rule out Sale arriving in Boston. Just what creative package will be devised by Dave Dombrowski is certainly open to discussion. As much as I dislike promise of the future departing I can see that happening. Sale is just too good to pass up. This is a baseball rib eye and not 73% questionable beef.

The Red Sox certainly have talent both on the roster and buried in the farm system – especially the farm system. With that in mind and Dombrowski’s history a surprise this December or January just may be in the works?

What other surprises?

For some reason, there are two names associated with the soon to be defunct Dodgers – Justin Turner and Kenley Jansen. Turner is 32-years-old and has had two relatively productive seasons playing third base. I can’t get that excited about Turner, but the Red Sox may just be sniffing around.

Jansen is the real deal and the term deal will certainly be in his free agent contract. This would be similar to signing up the relief version of David Price and the Red Sox just may do it for instantaneous bullpen help.

Doug Fister is an intriguing free agent target and Boston just may make a move to add-on some pitching depth despite that being a strength and the bullpen more of a necessity. Fister and Jansen would most certainly be classified as a surprise move.

Next: Boston Red Sox: Free agent relievers that could help the bullpen

The collective bargaining agreement has been resolved so movement may be limited until that messy situation is studied and determinations made on impacts. In the meantime, there will be some solid rumors about Red Sox moves, but I do like surprises and just maybe one will be offered up?

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