In what looked to be a no-brainer, Boston has re-signed postseason hero Steve Pearce to a one-year deal worth $6.2 million through the 2019 season.
After a spectacular postseason which saw Steve Pearce win the World Series MVP and hit two of the biggest home runs of his career in games four and five of the Fall Classic, the World Champions decided on Friday to bring the 35-year old veteran back for next season.
The Boston Red Sox have reached an agreement with Pearce on a one-year, $6.25 million deal.
Source: Steve Pearce and the Boston Red sox have agreed on a one-year, $6.25M deal.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 16, 2018
Pearce, who was acquired from the Blue Jays in late June for a minor league infielder, was a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox in 2018. He hit .284 with 11 homers and 42 RBI’s during the regular season between Boston and Toronto. In the playoffs, Pearce was unreal, hitting .289 with four long balls and 11 RBI’s. Three of his home runs came in the World Series and eight of his 11 RBI’s also came on the biggest stage in baseball. He drove in seven RBI’s alone in game four and five of the World Series.
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At 35 years old, Pearce has played for seven different teams now throughout his twelve-year big league career. He was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 2004 draft, but never signed. Growing up a Red Sox fan though, it was a lifelong dream for the power-hitting first basemen to one day play for Boston.
Sure enough, they gave him the chance in June and it turned out to be a great move for the Red Sox as he turned into one of their most key offensive players en route to their fourth World Series in just 14 years.
With Mitch Moreland also returning to Boston, Pearce gives Alex Cora a right-handed bat at first base. Dave Dombrowski has said that he would really like to keep the core from their World Series champion squad together, with Joe Kelly, Craig Kimbrel, and Nathan Eovaldi all being free agents.
Eovaldi was arguably Boston’s best pitcher in the postseason and should be their next free agent target to re-sign. Kimbrel declined a qualifying offer from Boston and will most likely not be returning to the World Series champions. Joe Kelly has voiced in recent days that he would like to be with the Red Sox for the rest of his career, so hopefully, the front office decides to bring back the hard-throwing righty.
Nevertheless, Steve Pearce is the first step to bringing back the exact same team that led baseball in wins and soared past the Dodgers in the World Series.