It is the off-season for Major League Baseball. In Boston, that means Red Sox rumors are running rampant. Rumors about trades, free agent signings, and re-signings are the discussions that keep baseball alive in New England, even when Fenway is covered for the winter.
Rumors Running Rampant for Red Sox
There are discussions about possible trades that could happen. There has been talk about the free agents the Red Sox “should” be targeting. Re-signing players is also part of the “hot stove” discussions during the cold Massachusetts and New England winter months. What is difficult to decipher is what is likely to occur and what is “kindling” that keeps the “hot stove” burning, even if only for a few moments.
Red Sox Should Not Sign Ohtani
The Red Sox should not sign Shohei Ohtani for the money he wants or may have been worth before his injury. However, the Red Sox should consider signing him if he takes a considerable discount, especially if they only intend to utilize him as an outfielder and DH. That also assumes Ohtani is all right with no longer being a pitcher.
Juan Soto is Coming to Boston
This may be the biggest piece of “kindling” of them all. The idea that the Padres would trade their superstar for a package that may include an underachieving (at least in the eyes of overly critical Red Sox fans) outfielder and a player who is a slower version of Juan Soto seems absurd. Yes, the Padres, on paper, should have won the World Series, but they did not. The scenarios being proposed, including the acquisition of the alluded Alex Verdugo and/or Rafael Devers, do not make the Padres a better team. Pitching wins championships, that is what the Padres need. That is why the aforementioned rumor does not make logical sense and why it is likely not to happen.
Justin Turner Wants to Stay in Boston
In the professional sports landscape today, it is very rare for a player to want to return to a city they like when they could get more money elsewhere. Maybe Justin Turner will return to the Red Sox. Looking through the lens of the professional sports landscape over the last 25 years, did anyone think Tom Brady would play anywhere other than New England? Did anybody think Michael Jordan would wear any different uniform besides a Bulls? While a solid player, Turner is not even on the same level as Tom Brady or Michael Jordan. If those athletes were not concerned with how their legacy may be altered by not staying with one franchise their whole career, why should Turner be any different? More kindling to keep that hot stove burning.
Eduardo Rodriguez is Coming Back to Boston
This is another huge piece of kindling. Eduardo Rodriguez, who could have joined a playoff-bound team in the Los Angeles Dodgers three months ago but vetoed a trade because his family is “happy in Detroit,” is returning to a team with the same number of wins the Tigers had last year. The only thing that makes less sense about Rodriguez returning to Boston is the trade he vetoed in August that could have helped a contender become a champion.
Takeaway
In the cold New England months, “hot stove rumors” keep the passions of Red Sox fans burning for their beloved Red Sox. The rumors often are not of the thick, girthy “log” variety. Instead, many rumors are the “kindling” that prolongs the hot stove fires, even for a few brief moments. Those “kindling” pieces are usually high in quantity. While the big, girthy, “log” variety of rumors are few and far between. That is not to say that one of those kindling pieces could surprisingly burn as long as one of those logs; it could happen. It is those miraculous pieces of kindling Red Sox fans sit, wait, and hope for with anticipation. It helps pass the time until the fire goes out and the Red Sox latest iteration is ready to report to camp come February.
Main Photo Credits: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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