The Red Sox are listed as a “potential option” for a top free agent on the market.
How exciting!
With Carlos Correa inking an 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants, Dansby Swanson is now the lone elite or near-elite shortstop left in free agency. MLB Insider Jon Heyman tweeted early Wednesday Swanson “looks to be in excellent shape” and the Cubs, Dodgers, Twins and Red Sox look like “potential options” for the one-time All-Star.
The No. 1 pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, Swanson has spent all seven years of his career with the Braves. It took him a couple of seasons to find his place in the big leagues, as he didn’t post an OPS north of .700 until his third full season.
He’s been a strong contributor since then, though. Swanson has posted an average slash line of .265/.324/.451 with 21 home runs over the last three seasons. He enjoyed a breakout 2022 campaign with 25 home runs and 96 RBI.
It’s been an insane winter of spending, with teams outlaying more than $2 billion on free agents. Shortstops have garnered their fair share of that money: Correa got $350 million; Trae Turner got $300 million; Xander Bogaerts received $280 million. With those figures in mind, Swanson, 28, can probably expect to see at least a six- or seven-year commitment in the $200 million range.
That would be the largest contract ever signed by Chaim Bloom. The Red Sox signed Trevor Story to a six-year, $140 million deal last winter.
He could slide in at shortstop, and potentially put up comparable numbers to Swanson, at less of the cost.