The Winter Meetings could have gone better for the Red Sox.
After Boston allowed Xander Bogaerts to opt out of an 11-year, $280 million contract with the Padres, the anger of the fans was palpable. According to The Boston Globe, the Red Sox’s offer is for six years and $160 million — and the Padres left Bogaerts with “zero options” but a gap of years to leave Boston.
This isn’t the only decision that has left some in the baseball world scratching their heads over the past few days. The Red Sox did not leave San Diego empty-handed as they hosted this year’s Winter Meetings.
The team agreed to terms with Japanese forward Masataka Yoshida on a five-year, $90 million contract Wednesday night, including a $15.4 million buyout.
ESPN.com was approached by baseball insiders about Yoshida’s deal, and they were less than impressed.
One said: “We thought it was worth less than half what they paid.”
Another: “I have no words.”
Mike Petriello of MLB.com was similarly unimpressed. While he noted Yoshida’s excellent communication skills, he questioned other parts of the 29-year-old’s game in his contract review.
“But most scouting reports point to his lack of defense and speed, and if the power takes a step back, he could become a LF/DH type who relies entirely on average hitting to succeed,” Petriello wrote. “It’s worth the risk, but one wonders, would it be better to give Wilson Contreras, given the same contract or promotion fee?”
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