The Boston Red Sox did not seem to listen to star third baseman Rafael Devers' suggestions to make more significant additions to the team during the offseason.
And, making the team's roster gaps worse, Devers was briefly absent after sustaining a shoulder injury as the $313 million star player has missed missed two games.After the injury, Patrick McAvoy of Inside The Red Sox suggested that the team would be a good fit for veteran free agent Evan Longoria.
McAvoy believes that veteran third baseman Evan Longoria, who is still available in free agency, could be a valuable addition. He mentioned Longoria's experience in the American League East after spending 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. The 38-year-old could offer assistance at third base and bring a veteran presence to the clubhouse.
The Boston Red Sox Have the Potential to Improve their Bench by Signing Evan Longoria
In addition to being chosen as an All-Star three times, Longoria has also earned a Silver Slugger Award and three Gold Glove Awards. Over 16 seasons, he has a batting average of .264, an OBP of .333, and a slugging percentage of .471 with 342 home runs, 58 stolen bases, and 1,159 RBI. Despite a subpar performance last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he had a batting line of .223/.295/.422 in 211 at bats, it seems he still has potential to contribute to the right team. he averaged Marc Topkin of the
Tampa Bay Times reported that Longoria is “still considering his options for 2024.” If he decides to continue playing, he is expected to find a team, especially since his projected salary for 2024 is only $7 million, “… the performance Longoria has shown for most of the season would be a significant improvement for several teams at third base, particularly considering Longoria’s willingness to accept a part-time role,” per Spotrac.
as noted by Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors . “The appeal of returning for another season is quite evident for Longoria, as he currently has 1,930 career hits, leaving him just 70 hits away from the 2,000 hit milestone.”Longoria would probably become the top backup at third base behind Devers for the Red Sox. The
depth chart currently lists Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes as the backup options. Dalbec hasn’t gotten a hit in six at bats so far in 2024, while Reyes has mainly been playing at second base. “Devers is fine now, but if he were to miss a lot of games later in the season, the Red Sox could be in trouble,” McAvoy added. “Boston has Bobby Dalbec and Pablo Reyes on the bench, and either could fill in at third base, so an addition could be beneficial.”
The Boston Red Sox Would Face Competition Trying to Sign Evan Longoria
If Longoria wants to return to MLB this season, the Red Sox may have competition in signing him. Deeds suggested that both the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs might also be interested in adding veteran depth at third.
“The Mets lost infield prospect Ronny Mauricio for the 2024 season due to an injury during winter ball, and Longoria could serve as a veteran mentor and right-handed hitting complement to youngster Brett Baty at third base going into the 2024 campaign,” he wrote. “Meanwhile, the Cubs do not have an established third baseman and could use Longoria in a flexible manner with other internal options like Nick Madrigal and Miles Mastrobuoni at the hot corner.”
The Boston Red Sox are being seen as an ideal team for veteran free agent Evan Longoria to join, especially because Rafael Devers is unable to play due to injury.
