Red Sox free-agent target – OF Eddie Rosario
Before settling on Hunter Renfroe and Enrique Hernandez in the 2020 offseason, the Red Sox made a strong push for Eddie Rosario. While he eventually signed with the Indians and the Red Sox moved on to other options, Rosario returns to the free-agent market a year later with the Red Sox still appearing like a good fit.
A lot has changed in a year, however. Like many of his Cleveland teammates, Rosario underperformed with the Indians (.685 OPS) before being shipped to the Braves at the trade deadline. The move was an unequivocal home run, as Rosario helped lead Atlanta to the division title by slugging .573 in 33 games and became a legend with his remarkable October (.337/.402/.592). While it may have seemed at first Rosario was just a half-season replacement for the injured Ronald Acuna Jr., it is difficult to imagine the Braves letting him walk.
From a Red Sox perspective, Rosario would be a great match. If the team is serious about competing, they will not go into the season with Jackie Bradley Jr. holding a starting spot. Rosario has proven himself as a consistently above-average hitter, as he slashed .281/.317/.493 from 2017-2020 and averaged 30 HR and 103 RBI per 162 games. He would provide an immediate upgrade over Bradley Jr. and give the Red Sox another left-handed power bat to compliment Rafael Devers.