Red Sox: Re-signing Mitch Moreland wasn’t necessary
Blake Swihart and Sam Travis have shown they’re capable of contributing behind Hanley Ramirez. Having Mitch Moreland only complicates things for all four players and the Red Sox.
The Boston Red Sox weren’t interested in paying the astronomical price for Eric Hosmer‘s services, so they decided to bring back last season’s first baseman Mitch Moreland. A team-friendly, inexpensive deal seemed like a smart acquisition at the time.
However, the Red Sox may have backed themselves into a corner.
Financial aspect
The Red Sox stand at $232.16 million for the totally payroll for 2018. After staying under the $195 million threshold in 2017 to reset the tax rates, they have commitments that will surpass the threshold this year.
Alex Speier of the Boston Globe points out the different penalties that can occur for a team’s total payroll:
"There are three tiers to the luxury tax rates. The first kicks in at $197 million, with all spending between $197 million and $217 million getting hit with a 20 percent tax. The second will deliver a 32 percent penalty to any team spending between $217 million and $237 million. The final tier comes with a 74.5 percent penalty for any money spent beyond $237 million."
While the Red Sox weren’t going to be under $217 million, they are dangerously close to going beyond $237 million. In fact, they can’t afford to make many moves right now — even if disaster struck and they needed to add to the roster.
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Should they exceed $237 million, it would place Boston in the highest tax rate and also drop the team’s top draft pick by 10 slots.
Moreland’s $6.5 mil a year isn’t a major cap hit, it does serve as unnecessary money. He could have a terrific season, and $6.5 could look like a complete steal.
Or he could have another injury riddled, roller coaster season. The Red Sox already have that on their roster in Hanley Ramirez. Now they have two guys with an injury history who are taking up payroll and at-bats from the Red Sox.
Beyond hitting, Moreland, 32, adds a great presence to the locker room. He’s a guy Boston will benefit from having on their roster, money aside. He’s not likely to cause a stir about the amount of ABs he gets. At the very least, they’ll get a team player who can lead by example. But the Red Sox will spend every night hoping he’s healthy, because they can’t afford to pay for a veteran replacement.
Roster aspect
The head-scratching part about re-signing Moreland is the options the team already possesses. Yes, he’s a cheap alternative to Hosmer and offers the Red Sox stability at first base.
But what are even cheaper options for the Red Sox? Eduardo Nunez, Blake Swihart, Brock Holt and Sam Travis. All four players are capable of manning first base if they had to if Ramirez needed a rest.
Not only did the Red Sox re-sign someone who takes at-bats away from Nunez and Ramirez, but Moreland may also stunt the growth of Swihart and Travis. That’s a lot of clutter at first base with Ramirez, Moreland, Swihart, Nunez, Holt and Travis.
Moreland’s two-year deal and Ramirez’s option, blocks Travis or Swihart from starting full-time next season. The last thing either needs is another year of partial playing time in 2019. Playing Russian roulette daily with the lineup could be taxing on a young player’s mindset.
Swihart, 25, will earn $535,000 this season and is out of Minor League options, meaning it’s play him or trade him.
Travis, 24, is still on his rookie contract, but can be sent down to the Minor League.
There’s no questioning the production both have shown in spring training thus far. Swihart has gone 10-for-24 with five doubles, the most by any player this spring. Travis has gone 8-for-29 with two home runs and seven runs batted in.
Both deserve playing time, even if it’s occasionally, but would the Red Sox really part ways with Swihart after the 25-year-old catcher produces the best numbers on the team?
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The depth the Red Sox have, is a good problem to have. But the lineup logjam could’ve been avoided, had the Red Sox trusted their internal options. Re-signing Nunez plus platooning Swihart and Ramirez would’ve been sufficient enough. Adding Moreland is beneficial from afar, but unnecessary up close.