The Red Sox are looking for another right-handed bat, and George Springer has surfaced as a name worth watching.
Springer, 36, is in the final season of the six-year, $150 million deal he signed with the Blue Jays, and Toronto’s season has gone sideways. The club sits at 50-59 and last in the American League East, a far cry from what was expected after last year’s World Series run.
That slide has pushed the Blue Jays toward selling, at least on expiring contracts, and CBS Sports’ Julian McWilliams reported that Boston is a team that "interests" Springer, who has a limited no-trade clause.
"The Blue Jays are expected to be sellers at Monday's deadline, at least when it comes to their expiring contracts, with Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber among the most notable names available," McWilliams wrote. "George Springer could be moved as well, though his limited no-trade clause allows him to block deals to certain clubs. One destination that interests Springer, according to a source familiar with his thinking, is Boston."
Springer has already been mentioned as a player to monitor by other reporters as the deadline nears. Ian Browne of MLB.com brought him up, and Rob Bradford of WEEI also identified him as a possible Boston target.
The fit is easy to see. Jarren Duran has struggled badly at the plate this season, hitting .195, even while remaining solid defensively. McWilliams also reported that the Red Sox are open to moving Duran, which would open the door even wider for Springer.
At this stage of his career, Springer has spent plenty of time as a designated hitter, and that role would make sense in Boston. He could slot into the DH spot while Masataka Yoshida and Jahmai Jones handle left field until Roman Anthony returns. Anthony has started swinging and is working his way back.
Boston could also use Springer in the outfield if needed. What would matter most is the bat and the postseason résumé. He has 12 homers and 34 RBIs in 78 games this season, a step down from last year but also a sign that the price to acquire him likely wouldn’t be steep.
Springer’s track record still carries real weight. He was a central piece during the Houston Astros’ years of dominance in the American League, and he brings the kind of playoff experience that can matter for a young roster.
If the Red Sox do move Duran, Springer would fit cleanly. Even if they don’t, he still profiles as an interesting DH option. Either way, he’s a name Boston has every reason to keep on the radar.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Bullpen Gamble Looks Even Smarter After Twins Latest Move
Minnesotas latest bullpen move only adds another layer to a trade that already looks favorable for Toronto. The Twins went out and got left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the Mets, sending prospects Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick the other way, a clear sign they were still trying to patch up a relief corps that has been a problem all season. Minter has been solid enough on paper, with a 2.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 23 appearances, but the move also serves as a reminder of how aggressively the Blue Jays moved earlier to address their own bullpen needs.
For Toronto, the bigger takeaway is that Louis Varland has only kept strengthening the case for that deal. He has been one of the most effective relievers in the game this season, piling up strikeouts and missing bats at a rate that has made the Blue Jays look increasingly confident in the gamble they made. Minnesotas decision to add another arm doesnt change what Toronto already has in Varland, but it does underline how much the Jays benefited from getting ahead of the market. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Selloff Just Hit An Ugly New Deadline Problem
With Toronto under .500 and headed toward the trade deadline as a seller, the Blue Jays should have a few obvious names for contending clubs to circle. George Springer and Shane Bieber fit that broad category, at least on paper, and both are the kind of veterans who can still matter in a pennant race if the market breaks the right way. The problem for Toronto is that deadline value is never just about reputation, and this year the Jays are finding that out the hard way.
Springer has been swinging the bat better lately, which at least gives Toronto something to point to as it weighs a move, but the return will still depend on more than recent production. Biebers case is even trickier, because the interest around him has been complicated by how much his stock has shifted, leaving the Blue Jays in a spot where the names are familiar but the path to a meaningful haul is anything but simple. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Just Got A New Deadline Test For Ross Atkins
The Angels latest move only sharpened the market for teams hunting help before the deadline, and it gives Ross Atkins another layer to weigh as he looks for upgrades with staying power. Los Angeles has already shown a willingness to deal from its roster, and the kind of return it just pulled in suggests the Blue Jays will have to decide how aggressive they want to be if they go after controllable talent.
That matters because the Angels still have several players who fit the profile Toronto tends to chase: pitchers and position players who are producing now and can remain in place for more than a rental stretch. Jos Soriano, Reid Detmers and Zach Neto all fit that mold, which is exactly why the Blue Jays will keep an eye on Anaheim as the deadline approaches and the asking price starts to crystallize. [Read more 🡒]