Red Sox FA Target: Marcell Ozuna

Four years? Thank you, but no. Spend this cash on JBJ, who will remain, based on his instincts and elite jumps, a very good defensive CF/RF well into his 30s. Ozuna, like JDM, is a defensive liability. Keep the latter as DH, and then use a platoon there on days he doesn’t play.

I think Ozuna actually makes sense, especially if Beni is on the way out. He will still be in his prime hen the Sox are actually ready to compete, and he is an offensive improvement now. Sooner or later he could slot in JDM’s place.

He is the best talent with no Draft pick in play-Gives The lineup to play the 12 -11 games which we will need since we have to wait for pitching

Assuming they need other moves. If they signed Ozuna and kept Beni, they’d move Verdugo to CF, eat a bad defensive outfield. Play Arroyo or whatever at 2B. Run out the starters they have: ERod, Eovaldi, Perez, Pivetta, Houck (Sale).... done. Are they weak in spots? Definitely. But are they in range of dramatic improvement? No.

I think Ozuna would make sense. I’d much rather sign Ozuna and then trade Benintendi for some pitching help. It also gives you more options in the future to ship off Dalbec as well if they want to decide he’s a full time DH.

Edit: I totally somehow forgot they still have JD lol but point still stands. I think it gives them more options to to land more pitching if they decide to ship off Beni.

By time the Red Sox are seriously competitive Ozuna will have seen his best days. Don't see any reason to get the soon-to-be DH. Good bat, but unless Benintendi or JDM are dealt, it doesn't make any sense. I wouldn't be surprised if within a year or two Devers will wind up needing to be the DH.

I don't see the Red Sox signing Ozuna. I think it's more due diligence and nothing more. They're not going to spend the money Ozuna is looking for. Some other team will.

Maybe he's worth the price and maybe not, but I don't really see the roster construction issues people are pointing to. I think he could handle LF for two years until JDM leaves. I think Devers' defense is more likely to improve than not so no need to hold the DH spot open for him. I certainly wouldn't worry about blocking Dalbec, or even Casas who is still a ways away. It's true that it would only make sense to sign him if they traded Benintendi but there have been rumors about them doing exactly that.

No, no, no! We already have JD. So Ozuna puts up a monster season in his walk year. Look at the track record. When he's healthy and right, he's been good, but nowhere near what he did last year save one season in Miami. If he was strictly a DH, then fine. We've got JD for that. We can't keep packing the 25 man roster with defensive misfits. Eventually it will catch up to us and hamstring our roster flexibility. Positional versatility is what makes teams like the Dodgers and Rays so successful. In a vacuum, Ozuna is great. In the context of the Red Sox roster, it's not a great fit unless we move JD.

That smells to me like the Yankees "think" the Red Sox might be serious and are trying to muddy the waters a bit. He doesn't seem like an obvious match for the Mets or Dodgers either who would both need him to play in a spacious OF.

The media likes to involve the Yankees with just about every good free agent on the market anyway. It generates clicks that wouldn’t be there otherwise. But it makes very little sense for them to go over the tax for another righty like Ozuna.

Meanwhile, I think he could play LF in Fenway just fine(at least until JD is gone)?? I just doubt they break the bank on anyone this Winter.