Which player is your favorite non-Stanton trade target?
Sean: Perhaps the Marlin that the Red Sox should be trying to reel in is Marcell Ozuna. He doesn’t have Stanton’s mammoth power but his 37 home runs are appealing enough. He also doesn’t have Stanton’s albatross contract attached to him. Ozuna is projected to earn a modest $10.9 million in arbitration next season and won’t hit free agency until 2020. See if the Marlins can be sold on Jackie Bradley, Michael Chavis and a couple of mid-level prospects. Moving Benintendi to center field would be a downgrade defensively but adding Ozuna’s Gold Glove in left helps offset those concerns and the increase in production at the plate more than makes up for it.
Rick: This is an easy one for me and that is Paul Goldschmidt of Arizona. Just two more seasons and he will be a free agent and has everything Boston needs at any position. A right-handed power bat who hits for power, average, and drives in runs. An exceptional defender who is capable of stealing 25+ bases.
Josh: I’m particularly fond of the image of Brian Dozier in a Red Sox uniform. Dozier is four years younger than Dustin Pedroia, and brings power that the Red Sox stalwart can’t offer. I love Pedey as much as any Red Sox fan, and I believe he should retire with Boston. Yet, while his defense remains as great as ever and his grit can’t be questioned. his offense has taken a sharp downturn as injuries have plagued him over the past few seasons. Dozier could be Pedroia’s heir. Minnesota was a surprising contender last season with Paul Molitor at the helm and surely aspires to be so again in 2018. Dozier wouldn’t be cheap, but he fills a couple needs for the Red Sox. This is one trade Dave Dombrowski should push for.
Jake: This one is a thinker, because given the lack of farm system depth, I think free agency is the definitive way to go this offseason for roster improvement. If the Red Sox do swing a trade, I would like it to be a relatively minor one so that the top guys remain in the minor league. Jerry Blevins would be a solid get for the bullpen, as a lefty reliever who can post elite strikeout numbers (69 in 49.0 innings) and rely on a sinker to induce ground balls to escape a jam. In this way, he’s a little bit like a lefty Carson Smith.
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Bryson: This is a no-brainer. It’s Marcell Ozuna. I wrote earlier about how the Red Sox should pursue him as much as Stanton. I also got to watch him play in the minors when he played in North Carolina, and he has been a favorite of mine since. He is a power threat as a right-hander with the Monster in play. He has had a 4+ WAR in two of his five seasons with a cruddy Marlins team. He is under club control for a couple more years also. He would not take as much as Stanton to get, and can provide similar production, and is more durable. He would be an instant fix for the Red Sox.