President of baseball operations Craig Breslow mentioned that to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe earlier in the week, as the Red Sox continue to have conversations with several players and teams as they look to bolster their pitching staff for the 2024 season. “Challenge.”
It would probably be easier to hit another need on the Breslow club and go out looking for a right-handed power hitter.
“Yes, we want to add power,” he said. “We want to gain power.”
The club may be interested in a couple of players they know to fill that need. Abraham said the team is in talks with outfielder Adam Duvall and infielder Justin Turner.
Duvall had a great start to the season with Boston last year before a left wrist injury sidelined him for two months. He finished with 21 home runs with an .834 OPS in 92 games. However, Duvall, who has been seen as a stellar outfielder in the past, is -4 outs above average in center field in 2023. The Red Sox could move the 35-year-old veteran to right field in Venezuela. Wilyer Abreu is projected.
Turner, 39, hit .276/.345/.455 in his first season with the club in 2023. He hit 23 homers and 31 doubles in 146 games. After spending most of his career at third base, the slugger is best suited at first base or as a designated hitter at this point. Tristan Casas appears to be the club's everyday first baseman, but if Turner returns to the Red Sox, he could share turns with Masataka Yoshida and others at DH. According to Abraham, Boston plans to spread the prospects throughout the roster in 2024 instead of having a consistent designated hitter.
