JUST IN: Red sox prepares to sign MLB hits leader

Back in November, the Boston Red Sox made a “full throttle” offseason vow. Although it hasn’t happened yet, there are still a ton of excellent free agents available for signing. Whit Merrifield, an outfielder and infielder, could be one of them.

On February 8, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report released his most recent projections for a few of MLB’s top unsigned free agents. Merrifield is one of them going to Beantown to play for the Red Sox. The 35-year-old was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2022 trade deadline after having played for the Kansas City Royals for the first six and a half years of his career. After concluding that season, he also lived north of the border for the whole of 2023.

Merrifield was selected as a Jays 2023 All-Star. It was his third time being awarded that distinction. Over 592 plate appearances, the right-handed hitter was quite productive.272/.318/.382 with 66 runs scored, 67 RBI, 11 home runs, 27 doubles, and 26 steals. Over the course of his eight-year career, he has amassed 1,184 hits, including league-high totals in 2018 and 2019.

In 2023, Merrifield was assigned to a utility role with the Jays. He participated in 84 games as a second baseman, 81 games as a left fielder, and six more as a right fielder. Merrifield will need to find a new place to live since Toronto inked Isiah Kiner-Falefa to a two-year, $15 million contract to be the new utility man.

Being a natural second baseman, he might give the Boston squad, which will most likely need it, reliable middle-infield insurance. Trevor Story is the regular shortstop, and Vaughn Grissom starts at second base according to FanGraphs Roster Resource.

Since the beginning of 2022, Story has only been able to play 137 games due to injuries. As Grissom is a natural shortstop, he would likely have to go to the left side of the infield if he ended up on the shelf once more. Merrifield might then take up second base as a result.

Tyler O’Neill, the expected starting left fielder, would face a similar situation. He appeared in 138 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021; as of the beginning of 2022, he has played in 168 games.

It wouldn’t be extremely expensive to add Merrifield either. MLB Trade Rumors projected on November 6 that he would sign a free agent contract worth $18 million for two years. It’s unclear if he would still receive that kind of assurance with spring training set to begin.