The Boston Red Sox have expressed cursory interest in Washington Nationals first baseman Josh Bell, but aren't pursuing the slugging All-Star aggressively, per a big league source.
The 29-year-old is in the midst of a second straight solid campaign with the Nats, batting a career-high .304 with 13 homers and 53 RBIs. He has also drawn interest from the New York Mets, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays, per The Athletic.
While the Red Sox could shift their focus in the final days before Tuesday's deadline, they are not currently engaged with the Nats. Their interest was described more as kicking the tires.
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SIGN UP HERE That fits a picture painted by multiple sources of the Red Sox looking to improve more on the margins than make a big splash. Bell, who is playing on a one-year, $10 million contract, figures to cost more in prospects than the Red Sox would consider, though it's worth noting that they sent minor-league right-hander Aldo Ramirez to the Nationals last July for outfielder Kyle Schwarber in a deal that helped them reach the American League Championship Series.
The switch-hitting Bell would plug a massive hole at first base if the Red Sox decide to re-engage. He finished third in the 2017 Rookie of the Year voting with the Pirates and was an All-Star two years later when he set career-highs with 37 homers and 116 RBIs.
