John Tomase explains why the Red Sox will regret it if they decide to swear off signing big ticket free agents because of contracts that didn’t work out in the past.
Another free agent of interest for the Boston Red Sox is about to come off the board.
Shortstop Javier Baez is "close" to signing a contract with the Detroit Tigers that is expected to be for six years, MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported late Monday night.
UPDATE (9:15 a.m. ET): Baez and the Tigers have agreed to a six-year deal worth $140 million, per MLB Network's Mark Feinsand and Jon Heyman.
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The Tigers, Red Sox and New York Mets were reported as the "main teams" pursuing Baez, a two-time All-Star who tallied 31 home runs and 87 RBIs last season in 138 games split between the Chicago Cubs and Mets.
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MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Detroit was "determined" to add a star shortstop on a deal under $300 million total, and it appears that's mission accomplished for the Tigers.
With Marcus Semien and Corey Seager both signing megadeals with the Texas Rangers, Carlos Correa and Trevor Story are the biggest names remaining on the shortstop market. Boston has a franchise shortstop in Xander Bogaerts, but the club could move Bogaerts to second base to make room for a younger star, or pursue a player like utility man Chris Taylor, who was linked to the Red Sox earlier this offseason.
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The more likely option is that Boston stands pat before an expected Major League Baseball lockout begins later this week. Teams are paying big money for free agents now to fortify their rosters before the lockout, but Chaim Bloom doesn't have a track record of overpaying: The Red Sox's only addition so far this offseason is Michael Wacha on a reported $7 million deal.