Boston Red Sox Trade Rumors: BoSox Interested in Atlanta Braves' Freddie Freeman?
The Atlanta Braves shocked the MLB and their fanbase when they traded well-loved Andrelton Simmons to the Los Angeles Angels just a few days ago. The misery of Atlanta fans are going to continue as Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Braves are actively shopping first baseman, Freddie Freeman.
Officials from three different teams have told Rosenthal that the hot topic among scouts of the Arizona Fall League is that the Braves are indeed listening and willing to trade Freeman. One official reveals that the Braves are "shopping everyone [that they] owed money."
The players that are most involved in those talks are outfielders Nick Markakis and Cameron Maybin as well as starting right-hander Julio Teheran. The Braves are willing to trade Freeman because his salary will increase from $12 million in 2016 to a whopping $20.5 million in 2017.
He signed an eight-year, $135 million contract with the Braves back in 2014, per Spotrac. The deal includes a $2.8 million signing bonus with all the $135 million guaranteed that gives him an annual average salary of $16.8 million that expires in 2021.
Rosenthal also pointed out that the 26-year-old's present value is questionable because of a wrist injury that has plagued him the entire season. Freeman missed 44 games due to the injury, but he still hit 18 home runs and 66 RBIs with a .276 batting average, per Baseball Reference.
Bleacher Report mentioned that the St. Louis Cardinals and LA Angels are the teams that are good destinations for Freeman. The Cardinals need a power bat in their lineup but do not have any great prospects that could convince the Braves while the Angels need him to place first base and replace Albert Pujols, who will be used as a designated hitter next season.
The Angels just depleted their farm system with the Simmons trade, so a move for Freeman is unlikely. That's where the Boston Red Sox and President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski fit in perfectly. They are loaded with a lot of minor league talent, and Hanley Ramirez, who is the projected first baseman next season, has never played the position.
The report suggests that if the Red Sox find a taker for Ramirez, they can send top second baseman prospect Yoan Moncada along with MLB-ready players, shortstop Xander Bogaerts or catcher Blake Swihart, to the Braves who will surely accept. However, Dombrowski and general manager Mike Hazen told CBS Sports less than a month ago that Moncada, along with outfielder Andrew Benintendi and pitcher Anderson Espinoza, are not available, but they are willing to trade all their other prospects.
* This is a contributed article and this content does not necessarily represent the views of latinpost.com