Report: Red Sox haven't considered Bautista for 3B vacancy
The Boston Red Sox appear willing to be divergent in their search for upgrades at third base, but don't expect to see one longtime rival as part of the team's plans.
Although the Red Sox have discussed outside-the-box trade candidates, the team has not considered Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, according to ESPN's Scott Lauber.
The veteran has started 389 games at the hot corner throughout his career, but since transitioning to the outfield, has appeared in only seven games at the position since 2012.
The Red Sox have been linked to an abundance of third basemen before and after missing out on Todd Frazier through trade. From the Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Harrison and David Freese, to the New York Mets' Asdrubal Cabrera and T.J. Rivera, it will be interesting to see what the club decides to do to address the vacancy.
The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have started to receive interest in Bautista on the trade market. After re-signing with the team on a one-year, $18-million deal in the offseason, the 36-year-old has failed to rebound from a sluggish 2016. In 96 games, he's hitting .227/.338/.402 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs.
He carries a $17 million mutual option for 2018.