Angels and Red Sox compete for former All-Star Adam Duvall.
Knowing what it’s like to lose transcendent star power, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels are trying to come up with a plan of recovery that will persuade their respective fan bases not to go to war. This approach isn’t fully working, as each club has so far had a forgettable offseason.
Despite not being in the deep end of the free agent pool right now, Boston and LA are competing for a former All-Star who still has upside on both ends of the ball.
Jon Heyman, an MLB insider, revealed on Thursday night that the Red Sox and Angels were in the running for Adam Duvall. “He’s probably going to choose between those two teams, unless someone else arrives late.”
How Adam Duvall may be a valued addition to the Red Sox and Angels
While neither disgruntled fan base is advocating for a 35-year-old player with a lifetime batting average of.232, he might be an underappreciated free agent acquisition this winter. After his successful August with the team during the 2023 season and his rapid start to the season, the Sox are aware of the kind of impact Duvall can make.
Despite having a wrist injury and going through protracted batting slumps for the remainder of the season, Duvall had a still-productive year while batting.247 in 92 games with 21 home runs and 58 RBIs. The 2021 Gold Glove winner had a poor year on defense, but if he can stay healthy, he could be able to return more closely to his typical self in 2024.
Boston may no longer be in the running for 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler after failing to sign pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto or slugger Teoscar Hernandez in MLB free agency. Reuniting with a less well-known player may be the only other option management is now ready to consider.
The Angels’ predicament is more intricate. The Shohei Ohtani era is over, so there’s no good news to be found, but adding a 10-year veteran like Adam Duvall could help stabilize an organization that desperately needs it.
Both franchises have something to lose from this bidding war, even though it might not be widely publicized. Really, neither of them can afford the negative publicity that comes with being turned down once more.
