We knew the day would come where we could talk about the Red Sox actually constructing a roster, we just had no idea when that would be.
Well, the time has arrived.
It is the ultimate memory mind-bender trying to remember what exactly Chaim Bloom did prior to baseball being locked out. Perhaps the acquisition of Rich Hill rings a bell, as does signing his Tampa Bay teammate Michael Wacha. But who remembers that the Red Sox now own the services of James Paxton on a one-year, $10 million with two club options?
Appearing on the Bradfo Sho podcast, prospect Alex Binelas told the story of finding out he was traded along with David Hamilton and Jackie Bradley Jr. for Hunter Renfroe just minutes before the offseason was put on hold.
At that deal with the Brewers would put the punctuation on Stage 1 of Bloom's blueprint for the 2022 Red Sox.
Since then the construction site has sat with a half-built kind of feel. Now the hammer and nails can finally be brought back out.
This we know: A lot of players still need jobs, including people named Carlos Correa, Freddie Freeman, Kris Bryant, Trevor Story, Kyle Schwarber, Clayton Kershaw and Seiya Suzuki. Fortunately for them, there are jobs to be had and money to be spent.
It just so happens that the Red Sox have a few openings, and a few dollars to spend. Let the Chaim Bloom To-Do List Conversation begin ...
1. Find a right fielder: For all of his flaws, Renfroe was your starting right fielder, one who hit in the middle of the batting order on more than a few occasions. (He hit somewhere between No. 1-5 in 55 games last season.) And while Bradley Jr. can certainly play a role in an outfield along with Alex Verdugo and Kiké Hernandez, it's just simply to much of a leap of faith to suggest the .163 batting average of 2021 was nothing more than an aberration.
Enter Suzuki.
More than a few baseball folks familiar with the 27-year-old's skill-set compare him to the best version of Renfroe, which would scratch right where the Red Sox itch. A power-hitting right-handed bat who can play an above-average outfield? That will do the trick. "He's a stud," Red Sox pitcher Ryan Brasier said of his former teammate.
We will know where Suzuki lands in the next 20 days, which is when his clock runs out to make a decision on a landing spot. So, what will happen if he chooses somewhere other than Boston? Well, you could go the route of fan-favorite Schwarber, who could also potentially slide into the designated hitter spot if J.D. Martinez leaves after 2022. But there are three issues when it comes to a Schwarber reunion: 1. He hits from the left side, which isn't ideal when it comes to replacing Renfroe; 2. For a team looking to upgrade defensively, his presence in the outfield would represent a step back; 3. His price tag probably just went up thanks to the universal DH, doubling the number of interested teams.
Bryant or Nick Castellanos would be solid solutions, but are most likely going to cost more than Bloom wants to pay. Tommy Pham. Eddie Rosario. Jorge Soler. All available. As will be Sox prospect Jarren Duran.
But when it comes to filling the hole left behind by Renfroe, it's hard to find a better fit than the outfielder from Japan.
Replacing Eduardo Rodriguez: Right now the certainties in the Red Sox rotation are Nathan Eovaldi, Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta and Hill. it's not a bad place to start. But we can't forget the importance a pitcher like Rodriguez supplied at key times. Now, he is in Detroit.
A seemingly great fit would former White Sox hurler Carlos Rodon. The 29-year-old would most likely be willing to sign on a short-term deal, establishing his value and proving his dependability. This would basically be the path Bloom was hoping to go with a guy like Garrett Richards, but with more upside.
Getting Rodon would also allow Alex Cora to keep Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock as legitimate weapons in a bullpen that enters spring training with some uncertainty. With the potential departure of Adam Ottavino and the continued uncertainty that has come with Matt Barnes, an investment in someone like Ryan Tepera still isn't a bad idea. But the idea of Houck and Whitlock for a couple of innings three times a night somewhere in Innings 6-9 should be a comforting one.
Figuring out the future: This one will test Bloom much more than any of his hole-plugging in the 2022 roster.
Do you explore a trade for Xander Bogaerts, who can opt-out of his deal after 2022? Do you put all your eggs in the basket of a Rafael Devers extension considering he can be a free agent after 2023? Does either players' uncertainty lead Bloom to pushing his chips to the middle of the table with a Correa acquisition? How much do prospects Marcelo Mayer and/or Nick Yorke dictate the Bogaerts and/or Devers decisions?
Then there is Eovaldi. The current staff ace will be eligible for free agency after 2022, and is coming off a season which he far out-performed his current deal. Should the Red Sox commit to the pitcher with something along the lines of the four-year, $69 million deal he signed after 2018? And if you don't prioritize bringing back Eovaldi, who are you going to get to replace the righty's presence both in the starting staff and as a clubhouse leader?
At last check, the Red Sox hadn't kicked off any discussion with Eovaldi, which could line up to be a Jon Lester-esque gamble. The Red Sox have some intriguing young arms coming up, but nobody who represents the kind of foundational certainty Eovaldi represents.
There will also be plenty of talk when it comes to potentially trading for a starter, with Oakland (Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas) and Cincinnati (Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray) seemingly open for business. But going down that road - where you would undoubtedly be trading prospects for short-term solutions - doesn't seem to fit Bloom's modus operandi.
Dig in. Here we go ... finally.
