Red Sox Reportedly Interested In Free Agent Infielder Javier Baez
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox are in the market for an infielder this offseason, and are reportedly one of the many teams in the mix for Javier Baez.
That comes according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, who reported Boston's interest in Baez on Tuesday. Baez is a free agent after he hit .265 with 31 homers over 138 games for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 2021.
Baez had a solid season overall, driving in 87 runs and scoring 80 on his own, but he also struck out a league-leading 184 times.
The 28-year-old was a favorite among Cubs fans after playing a key role on the 2016 World Series team, but he was dealt to New York on July 30 for a prospect and a first-round pick. Baez slashed .299/.371/.515/.886 with nine homers and nine doubles in his 47 games with the Mets, but he didn't endear himself to New York fans. When fans started booing the team during a late-season slump, Baez was one of the players to adopt a thumbs down celebration aimed at those fans whenever he got a hit.
Baez is a .264 career hitter and has experience at shortstop (454 starts), second base (231 starts) and third base (65 starts). His best season came in 2018 when he won a Silver Slugger and was the runner-up for NL MVP after slashing .290/.326/.554 with 34 homers and 111 RBIs.