A constant Craig Breslow refrain is that the chief baseball officer is “pursuing all paths” to improve the Boston Red Sox’s roster.
Sometimes, there’s one obvious need, and that quote is an eye-roller for some. But this offseason, the possibilities do feel sort of endless, and if Breslow thinks any specific impact player is worth chasing, it wouldn’t be all that difficult to make a supporting argument.
As it happens, the Red Sox are now confirmed to have an interest in a three-time All-Star from the Philadelphia Phillies who few likely would have guessed would be one of their targets.
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Red Sox showing interest in J.T. Realmuto
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Jen McCaffrey, the Red Sox are “showing interest” in three-time All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, who remains one of the best throwers in the game, but crept below league-average on offense this season for the first time since entering his prime.
“Acquiring another catcher is not among the Sox’s top priorities, or so it has seemed. But the Red Sox are showing interest in J.T. Realmuto, according to people briefed on their discussions,” wrote Rosenthal and McCaffrey.
“The best guess with Realmuto is that he will still re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, his team since 2019. The lure of another team would need to be strong. Realmuto and his family own a home in Clearwater, Fla., site of the Phillies’ spring training facility, and spent part of the offseason there. The Phillies, lacking an internal replacement for Realmuto, also are motivated to keep him.”
If Realmuto and Carlos Narváez formed a tandem behind the plate, they might both be able to perform better offensively than they did this past season. Meanwhile, such a deal would likely mean the end of Connor Wong’s tenure in Boston, as the Red Sox could probably find a trade partner for his $1.3 million salary after avoiding arbitration.
This isn’t a seismic free agency rumor, especially when the Phillies remain the favorites, but knowing the Red Sox have a wide-reaching portfolio of options at this point is at least encouraging.
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