December 23, 2024

Red Sox Reportedly Interested In Veteran To Bolster Positional Player Depth

Oakland A's sign Tony Kemp to one-year contract, avoid arbitration -  Athletics Nation

Probably not the move fans will clamor for

The Boston Red Sox are expected to make a few moves before setting their roster and with so many marquee players remaining, still have time to make a splash.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is seeking a starting pitcher and an impact right-handed bat with positional versatility.

While those pending additions have the fans patiently waiting, they also will continue to add depth throughout the final stages of the offseason and spring training. The latest player Boston reportedly is interested in fits into the depth category.

“Free-agent second baseman/left fielder Tony Kemp has drawn interest from the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, according to sources,” FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Sunday.

Tony Kemp making oversized impact on Oakland A's in early 2021 - Athletics  Nation

Kemp hit .209 with 21 extra-base hits including five home runs, 27 RBIs and a .607 OPS in 124 games for the Oakland Athletics last season. Defensively, the 32-year-old is nothing to write home about either.

If Breslow does add Kemp, it will simply be to shore up a middle infield group that is patiently waiting for players such as Marcelo Mayer and Nick Yorke to elevate into the big-league conversation.

Kemp is in the 100th percentile for strikeout rate and 76th for walk rate — meaning he puts together solid at-bats. That said, he’s not very productive even when putting the ball in play with regularity.

This is the time of year when every team takes shots on a slew of players that are not worth getting excited about but could contribute down the line.

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