Farrell wouldn't be surprised if Red Sox sign 'middle-of-the-order bat'

The Boston Red Sox front office has been relatively quiet this month after an active December, though manager John Farrell hinted that the club may have another move coming before spring training.

When speaking at an event in Maine on Wednesday, Farrell said he "wouldn't be surprised if we sign a middle-of-the-order bat," according to Larry Mahoney of the Bangor Daily News.

The Red Sox, to the surprise of many, were not involved in the negotiations for either Edwin Encarnacion or Jose Bautista during free agency, as the club is reluctant to go over the luxury-tax threshold this season. Their current payroll sits around $183 million for 2017, with the contracts of Drew Pomeranz and Fernando Abad still yet to be determined through arbitration.

While the free-agent class has dwindled with less than a month before pitchers and catchers report for spring training, the likes of Mike Napoli, Mark Reynolds, Chris Carter, Luis Valbuena, and Mark Trumbo are still available. Of that group, Trumbo is the only one tied to draft-pick compensation, and Farrell said giving up a first-round pick to sign a free agent on a one-year deal "isn't going to happen."

With most of the roster set, there's limited room for the Red Sox to add. Valbuena would make the most sense given his ability to play third base, providing the Red Sox with some insurance behind Pablo Sandoval.