Red Sox news: Big Winter Meetings updates from Chaim Bloom, Alex Cora
On Monday, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom and manager Alex Cora sat down with members of the Boston media at the Winter Meetings, and simultaneously clarified and muddled their offseason plans.
What’s going on with Xander Bogaerts? Not enough, but not nothing.
Rafael Devers? Not a peep.
Pitching? They want more.
A postseason run? Dream big, gents.
Here’s every update, as reported by Alex Speier and Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe:
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom’s Winter Meeting updates
- The Red Sox “still view” Xander Bogaerts as a top priority and “have certainly made offers to him” and will “stay engaged.” A top priority and the top priority feel very different, though.
- The Sox need to add “seven, eight, nine” players this offseason, including another starting pitcher, at least another relief (they signed Joely Rodriguez and are signing Chris Martin), a shortstop, and a couple of bats.
- They “definitely want to add another starter” to the rotation, which is interesting, because they currently have at least six in-house candidates: Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello, Nick Pivetta, Chris Sale, James Paxton, Tanner Houck. But Bloom specified that they’re looking for someone they’d feel good about using to start a playoff game, which feels like a lofty goal.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s Winter Meeting updates
- Alex Cora reiterated that he has stayed in touch with Bogaerts and hopes he decides to come home:
"“Obviously, we know where we’re at. We know what we’ve done the last few months…He’s doing everything he has to do to make a decision in the future. Hopefully that decision is the Boston Red Sox.”"
- Cora is planning on seeing Bogaerts and other Red Sox players in Arizona soon
- However, Cora says that the Sox also need to focus on how to be a better team with or without Bogaerts. He doesn’t want to finish last again.
- Trevor Story and Kiké Hernández have been “contributing” to Boston’s free-agent recruiting efforts. Bogaerts helped the Sox recruit Story last offseason, and Story has made it clear that he wants to play alongside Bogaerts, not replace him at shortstop.
- The Red Sox are talking to ‘numerous starters’ and are hoping to get “one or two.”
- Triston Casas’ injuries are a concern. The Sox are unsure if he can stay on the field, so they plan to “take stock” of the dynamic between him and Eric Hosmer in spring training. He also won’t be participating in the World Baseball Classic.
- The Sox think they can get more power from Rafael Devers, Story, Hernández, and ‘potentially’ Alex Verdugo, but prefer him as a line-drive hitter.
- Chris Sale will start throwing next week.
- Garrett Whitlock will be a starting pitcher in 2023, but the Sox also plan to add another starter.
