Red Sox News & Links: The Rumor Mill Starts A’ Churning

Is Alex Verdugo on his way out? Speaking to reporters (before the GM meetings turned into a GI-fest and were called off), new CBO Craig Breslow said that Verdugo is “a guy that other teams have kind of reached out on given the situation.” The situation, in this case, is that the Red Sox have a glut of outfield options, little pitching, and a manager who appears to hate the incumbent right fielder. Connect the dots and it sure seems like Verdugo is a prime candidate to get shipped out for a some rotation help. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)

The outfield isn’t the only position up in the air. With Justin Turner now a free agent, Breslow will have to chart a course forward for the DH spot. It sounds like he wouldn’t mind forgoing an everyday DH in order to prioritize lineup flexibility. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)

While rotating players through the DH spot can certainly work, that’s probably not something you want to do at second base. Could the answer to one of the Sox’ biggest problem areas come from . . . the New York Yankees? According to sources, the Sox have identified Gleyber Torres as possibly being a good fit. The Yankees, meanwhile, seem to have soured on him a bit as he enters his final year of arbitration. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)

But to be frank, second base and DH should probably take a backseat to the rotation. And right now, the Sox still don’t have a pitching coach. Breslow is prioritizing the search to find a replacement for Dave Bush and has begun the interview process. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)

As for a coupe of incumbent pitchers, the plan (for now) is for Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock to once again be stretched out in preparation of starting. Obviously this doesn’t mean much at this point, as the makeup of the Sox pitching staff could be drastically different by the time Spring Training starts. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

And before we close the book on the 2023 Red Sox, here’s some positive news: Rafael Devers, Justin Turner, and Chris Martin for the All-MLB Team. I’m not sure I knew there was such a thing as the All-MLB Team, but winning awards is always fun. (Tim Crowley, NESN)